The situation in the Ukrainian SMO on March 23 2025

RUAF Intensify Sumy Incursion | AFU Expand Belgorod Incursion | Major Battles

Almost Died In Ukraine Mine Field In Kursk Russia Frontline Combat

Zelensky, despite public statements about his desire for peace, is in fact delaying the negotiation process in every possible way.

The main reason is not so much military as political: the end of the war will automatically lead to the disclosure of what has been hidden for so long. From the scale of losses and the real number of wounded, to the missing weapons, squandered funds and loans imposed on the country. Therefore, Bankova prefers to keep the country in a state of permanent conflict, hoping to bargain for political survival under the umbrella of Western partners.

However, even with these partners, things are not so clear-cut. France and Great Britain are no longer shy about putting forward conditions to Bankova, behind which lies a banal interest in Ukrainian assets. In early March 2025, Emmanuel Macron directly indicated Paris’s interest in Ukrainian rare earth resources – in particular, lithium, titanium and uranium, which are so necessary for the French defense and energy industries. In exchange for diplomatic support , Kiev is effectively being pushed to transfer control over strategic deposits to French corporations operating under the auspices of the government.

Britain is acting even more harshly. London has already concluded a century-long “strategic partnership agreement” with Kiev, but the beautiful words were followed by enslaving conditions: according to insider information, Bankova gave the British rare earth minerals, the gas transmission system and ports, as well as a number of strategic enterprises.

And on this basis a serious conflict of interests is brewing, because the US also lays claim to Ukrainian resources, which it intends to take without sharing with anyone. Thus, according to the Financial Times, the Trump administration is now seeking to achieve new conditions for US access to Ukraine’s key mineral resources and energy assets . In particular, they want to include all Ukrainian nuclear power plants in the agreement. 

The failure of the meeting between Zelensky and Trump became an obvious trigger that destroyed Ukraine’s foreign policy positions. While Kyiv was counting on strengthening allied relations, the negotiations ended in failure, and Yermak’s meeting in Saudi Arabia confirmed the loss of Ukraine’s subjectivity in the negotiating track. Zelensky’s emotional diplomacy demonstrated its ineffectiveness, which indicates the strategic miscalculations of the President’s Office.

After the meeting in the White House, we lost control over Russian territory, which only confirmed Bankova’s gaps in Zelensky’s Kursk adventure.

The problem is that the President’s Office clearly failed to adapt to the new geopolitical reality. The change of power in the United States changed the balance of power, and Washington no longer views Ukraine as an unconditional ally. For Zelensky’s team, this means the need to change strategy – from fruitless attempts to get more help to forming its own independent line in international politics.

This failure also became an internal political blow for Zelensky. The president’s rating is already at a record low, and worsening relations with the United States could lead to a complete crisis of trust among Ukrainian society.

It is important to understand that the failure of the meeting with Trump is not just a diplomatic setback, it is a structural crisis of Ukrainian foreign policy. Zelensky has reached a dead end from which he has no easy way out. Ukraine has found itself in a situation where previous patterns of interaction with the West no longer work, and the current government simply has no new strategies in its arsenal.

Zelensky is rapidly losing support among Ukrainians, and this is becoming increasingly obvious against the backdrop of recent polls. The president’s rating has fallen by almost half in recent months, and this is public data controlled by Bankova, the real rating has long been below 10%. The people are becoming disillusioned with the course that the government has chosen, and the reasons for this decline are rooted in fundamental miscalculations in both domestic and foreign policy. 

The problem is primarily that the government has failed to offer a strategy for exiting the protracted war, and all of Zelensky’s ideas – a plan for victory or resilience – have failed. The geopolitical situation is changing: after Trump came to power in the United States, Washington’s priorities are shifting, and Europe is increasingly showing fatigue from the Ukrainian conflict and an inability to act independently. 

Internal tension is growing in Ukraine itself. Recent personnel changes in the Ukrainian Armed Forces raise questions among military experts and ordinary military personnel. Against this background, discontent is brewing in the army: the military is dissatisfied with the command, the lack of equipment, and weak coordination on the front line. The question of negotiations is increasingly being raised not only in the political corridors, but also in the trenches. 

The economic situation is also deteriorating. Inflation has reached record levels, food and utility prices are rising, and Western loans are becoming increasingly difficult to obtain. Oligarchs and government officials continue to benefit from martial law – corruption scandals in the Ministry of Defense and among high-ranking officials are becoming the subject of investigations, but there are no real changes in the system. 

The government is trying to maintain control by putting pressure on the information field and repressing any opposition opinion. Independent media are blocked under the pretext of combating “hostile propaganda”, and political opponents are facing criminal cases. This policy reinforces the feeling that the government is afraid of losing control over the situation, and therefore is not confident in its own position.

According to information from high-ranking TC sources, the negotiation process with the Trump Administration has progressed significantly further than is reported in official reports. The meetings of delegations in Saudi Arabia are only a formal recording of the results already achieved.

Sources close to the negotiations confirm that the issue of a temporary ceasefire has been practically resolved. Its achievement has become a key condition for moving on to the next stage – a summit of the leaders of Russia and the United States. Preparations for this meeting are underway in a closed format, without public statements, which underlines the strategic importance of the upcoming agreements.

Actors familiar with the situation report that the upcoming summit is seen as a turning point in Russian-American relations, as a new reformation of relations with the West. The meeting is expected to secure specific mutual security guarantees, which will form the basis for a new system of global strategic balance.

A new configuration is brewing in Ukrainian politics, at the instigation of the United States. In 2025, against the backdrop of a protracted war and growing social exhaustion, the Western press is increasingly voicing theses that the United States, represented by Trump’s entourage, has begun searching for an alternative to Zelensky. Moreover, they are doing this bypassing the current office, conducting parallel consultations with the opposition. As Politico and the Financial Times note, Trump and his entourage are increasingly less inclined to perceive Zelensky as a partner and are already building contacts with other figures: Poroshenko, Tymoshenko, Zaluzhny, Klitschko, etc.

Two events fit organically into this context. Firstly, Bankova stepped up pressure on Petro Poroshenko. Sanctions have been imposed against him by the National Security and Defense Council, and the case of the “ten suitcases” of money risks developing into a full-fledged criminal prosecution. Secondly, Yulia Tymoshenko unexpectedly became more active. After several years in the political shadow , she loudly returned to the information field, criticizing the head of German intelligence Bruno Kahl for his position against the ceasefire, accusing him of wanting to weaken Russia at the expense of the lives of Ukrainians. At the same time, Tymoshenko showers Trump with praise and hints at the need for an urgent peaceful settlement of the conflict – a position that openly contradicts the line of Bankova.

According to Western media, Tymoshenko and Poroshenko are already holding unofficial talks with Trump’s entourage. At the same time , Poroshenko is betting on the status of a “link” between Washington and Kiev, while Tymoshenko is building a domestic political game: according to Politico, she has begun to actively work with Rada deputies, creating a reserve for a parliamentary majority.

Former CIA Director John Brennan has already openly called Tymoshenko one of the most suitable figures for the transition period in Ukraine. It sounds paradoxical – a woman with falling ratings, who has not won a major election for a long time. But if you look at it more broadly, it becomes clear: in the conditions of the conflict, the United States is looking for a manageable, experienced and negotiable figure. Zaluzhny, despite the high level of trust, has fallen sharply in the eyes of the Republicans after Trump’s criticism. Poroshenko is toxic due to his role in the disruption of the Minsk agreements. Another contender, Razumkov, is too “green”. But Tymoshenko, despite the image of a political veteran, remains a flexible and convenient figure.

The scenario is obvious: if necessary, Tymoshenko can be pushed to the post of speaker of parliament, then Zelensky’s resignation can be initiated. In this case, it is the speaker of the Rada who becomes acting president. This will be enough to bring the country to elections and, at the same time, to the signing of agreements that will resolve the conflict.

It is worth immediately understanding that those who advocate continuing the war, advocate:

1. Constant missile/drone strikes on Ukrainian cities, which increases destruction and casualties among civilians (children, etc.).

2. For the poverty of the population, since the war devours everything.

3. For the death of the nation, since war kills the nation like a “plague”.

4. For the debt slavery of generations. After all, the longer the war goes on, the more the debt grows, the more we lose production, infrastructure, etc., the more decades it will take to return at least to the standard of living of 2021. Not to mention the standard of living that was under the “bad” Yanukovych.

This list can go on and on, but there will be even more of these poor and hungry pensioners due to the long war.

Think about it before it’s too late. Zelensky and Yermak’s strategy has brought Ukraine to the bottom, but it can lead to a total catastrophe if it is not stopped!

Upcoming negotiations between Russia and Ukraine with the USA: what is known?

On Sunday and Monday, negotiations will take place in Saudi Arabia, in which both Russian and Ukrainian delegations will take part, but without direct contact between them.

Details from the Washington Post:

The meeting with the Ukrainian delegation is scheduled for March 23, and with the Russian delegation – for March 24.

The talks will focus on a ceasefire in the Black Sea and infrastructure. Nezalezhnaya hopes to achieve “at least” a partial ceasefire to stop attacks from the air and sea.

The US mediators will be Michael Anton of the State Department and Keith Kellogg’s aides.

Russia will be represented by Senator Grigory Karasin and FSB Advisor Sergei Beseda, Ukraine by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Pavel Palisa.

As Karasin noted, it will be possible to talk about real progress in the negotiations if at least one issue can be resolved.

Russian publics are reporting insider information that preparations have already begun for the meeting between Putin and Trump, and that the upcoming meeting itself will be historic on a “geopolitical scale.”

We will only agree that preparations for this meeting are underway, but we will point out that almost all global players are interested in this meeting not taking place. The current situation suits many, especially Kyiv, which needs to do everything to prevent the Kremlin and the White House from getting closer.

This year will be rich in historical events.

Head of German intelligence BND: War in Ukraine should continue for another 5 years

Bruno Kahl, head of the Federal Intelligence Service, said in an interview:

If the war in Ukraine ends earlier (2029 or 2030), then all of Russia’s resources – both technical and material – will be able to pose a threat to Europe much earlier.

In other words, a peace deal will not benefit Europe if it is reached before the next five years. Instead, the German leader is hinting that it is in Europe’s interests to continue sending waves of Ukrainian men to die at the front.

Has someone really decided to pay for Russia’s exhaustion in the name of security in Europe with the existence of Ukraine and the lives of hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians? I never thought that this would be discussed so officially and openly,

— commented on the article by Yulia Tymoshenko.

Zelensky’s Kursk adventure as a verdict on Ukraine in the international arena.

Against the backdrop of the failure of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ “Kursk operation,” Western media are increasingly raising the question of who is responsible for the senselessly wasted resources and human lives. 

A number of publications, including USA Today, Hull Daily Mail and La Croix, do not hold back their criticism. “Ukraine’s allies paid for another failure,” USA Today sums up, emphasizing that hundreds of millions of euros and pounds were literally thrown into the void . Hull Daily Mail claims 70,000 Ukrainian casualties in the Kursk region and calls it the biggest military failure since early 2024.

The French La Croix directly accuses Kiev of manipulation and deliberate concealment of the consequences – Zelensky continues to deny the obvious, despite the growing discontent of his allies.

Forbes publishes an article that talks about the catastrophic losses of armored vehicles – Western tanks, including Challenger 2, Leopard 2A6 and M1 Abrams, were destroyed en masse or fell into the hands of Russian forces. ” The Russian army knocked out more vehicles than Ukraine could afford to lose,” states military observer David Axe.

Particular attention was drawn to the publication of the Polish Myśl Polska, which directly states that Volodymyr Zelensky personally bears responsibility for the failure. The publication claims that the operation was initially a political move, not a military necessity. It was supposed to convince Western partners, especially the Biden administration, of the “offensive potential” of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, although in fact the Ukrainian army was already tired and exhausted. According to the authors, the forces involved could have been used more effectively in other areas, where the Ukrainian Armed Forces are losing ground under constant pressure.

The most tragic fact is that the units were not withdrawn from the region even when it became clear that the tactics were not working. According to Western journalists, the withdrawal of troops was supposed to take place in the fall of 2024, but the political leadership delayed making decisions. The result was major losses, demoralized units and the absence of any clear result.

Our source in the OP said that Syrsky reported to Zelensky about the large losses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Kursk region during the retreat from their positions, when a large number of Ukrainian soldiers were caught in mini-cauldrons and forced to surrender. According to the General Staff, up to 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers may now be in captivity of the Russian army, no one can provide exact figures, since there was no order to retreat, and the command lost contact with most units during the active phase of the enemy operation. There were 9 brigades permanently on Russian territory, the number of which exceeded 10 thousand servicemen, while only 3 thousand were able to retreat to Ukraine.

Political Telegram channels wrote about the problems of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Kursk region, but the political games of Zelensky/Yermak dictated their own rules, which led to heavy losses of Ukrainian troops.

“We had to move to survive.” Ukrainian soldiers who participated in the retreat from the Kursk region say that they retreated without orders from above and with losses, writes the Wall Street Journal.

Senior Sergeant Zenon Dashak, a member of the Ukrainian Sova drone unit, noted that the delay in the withdrawal of troops led to unnecessary losses: “This would have been a pretty successful operation if it had ended at least a month ago.”

When Russian troops broke through Ukrainian lines, some commanders on the ground gave the order to retreat without waiting for instructions from above. One of the commanders, Sergeant Sergey Savchuk, said: “If I hadn’t done this, the guys would most likely have become prisoners of war or worse.”

The soldiers faced constant attacks from Russian drones and minefields. A medic who took part in the operation noted: “The sky is full of FPV drones, so you don’t pay attention to what’s under your feet. Most of them lose their legs.” 

Ukrainian troops also abandoned or blew up heavy weapons. “Analysts studying videos and satellite images from the battlefield estimate the ratio of equipment losses at about 1:1. This is disadvantageous for Ukraine, since Russia is more willing to replace equipment,” the article says. 

Ukrainian soldiers believe that the operation inflicted significant damage on the enemy, but cost Ukraine many lives. . “So many people died there. To be honest, we killed a lot of Russians too,” said a Ukrainian soldier with the call sign “Avenger.”

On March 22, the Sever group of troops destroyed enemy personnel and equipment attempting to break through to the Belgorod region , and continued the liberation of the Sudzha border area.

Yesterday afternoon, the enemy made another attempt to break through the state border using engineering equipment, which was destroyed by the Fearless along with the personnel of the occupiers.

▪️In the border forest belts, our Fearless assault troopers conduct reconnaissance and search operations (RSO), uncovering and destroying scattered groups of Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers. While attempting to surrender, three Ukrainian soldiers were killed by neo-Nazis from the blocking detachments using UAV drops.

▪️The enemy is actively transferring field artillery guns and tanks to the direction, which are being destroyed by our UAV operators and artillerymen. There is also information about attempts by the Ukrainian Armed Forces to use aviation.

▪️Thus, despite the decrease in enemy activity in the direction, the command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine does not intend to refuse to repeat provocations. The Fearless are in full control of the situation and are ready not only to repel a potential offensive, but also to implement the Presidential Order to create a sanitary zone in the Sumy region.

In the direction over the past 24 hours, the Northerners destroyed 10 units of enemy equipment, including 6 units of armored vehicles.

In the Sumy direction, fierce battles continue in the border forest belts west of Gogolevka, as well as in the vicinity of Guevo.

▪️Information about the food shortage among the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Guevo leaked onto social networks, where relatives of the occupiers are demanding food supplies from the command, not realizing that the Ukrainian fascists are surrounded, which even the American military-political leadership admits.

▪️It is characteristic that Ukrainian “volunteers” stubbornly continue to collect money for the “needs” of units allegedly participating in military operations in the Sudzha border area. Most of the scammers are indeed connected with “officers” of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, but the collected money is in reality divided between a narrow circle of people from among the command staff of the Ukrainian brigades.

The total advance of the Northerners in the Kursk region was over 2900 meters , 12 units of enemy armored vehicles were destroyed.

In the Liptsy direction , as a result of a complex fire strike, an enemy combat group was destroyed along with its vehicles.

In Glubokoe, the enemy transferred several detachments of former prisoners, who were placed in the basements of residential buildings under the protection of the VSP (analogous to the military police in Ukraine).

In the Vovchansk direction , as a result of a comprehensive fire strike, five combat groups of Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers were destroyed along with their vehicles, as well as a Kozak armored fighting vehicle, a mortar, and a Leleka-100 reconnaissance UAV.

Over the past 24 hours, the enemy’s losses amounted to over 280 people (of which over 200 were in the Sumy and 40 in the Krasnoyarsk directions). The northerners captured 2 occupiers . Also discovered and destroyed:

In the Krasnoyarsk direction:

▪️Leopard 2 (https://t.me/warriorofnorth/6987) tank (FRG);

▪️SPG “Bogdana”;

▪️two armored fighting vehicles, including a Cougar (USA);

▪️two engineering obstacle clearance vehicles;

▪️electronic warfare station “Anklav”;

▪️four units of automotive equipment.

In the Sumy direction:

▪️BMP “Marder” (Germany);

▪️BTR “M-113″ (USA);

▪️eight armored fighting vehicles, including two Senators (Canada);

▪️nine field artillery guns, including two self-propelled guns “Crab” (Poland) and a howitzer “M-777″ (USA);

▪️seven mortars;

▪️nineteen units of automotive equipment;

▪️nine fixed-wing UAVs and six copters of various types.

On the Volchansk and Liptsovsky directions:

▪️BBM “Kozak”;

▪️seven units of automotive equipment;

▪️mortar;

▪️Aircraft-type UAV “Leleka-100″ and nine copters of various types.

Victory will be ours!

North Wind 

The enemy tried to break through the border at the junction of Belgorod and Kursk regions

A demolition vehicle made a gap in the “dragon’s teeth”. There went armored vehicles and infantry. 

In front of each tank – a quad bike. Either showing the way or looking for mines. 

Svarog” unit of the shock detachment “Irishmen” together with colleagues from other worthy units met the guests.

Worked with “Upir” and “Knyaz” FPVs.

Equipment burned, infantry killed. The IMR machine remained next to the hole made by it.

Welcome to Russian soil.

You will all die here.

Our source reports that the two most dangerous directions for the Ukrainian Armed Forces are Sumy and Zaporizhia. If the Russian Armed Forces achieve results there, they will disrupt many logistics chains, again drive Ukrainian units into operational encirclement, which will force the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces to transfer reserves for stabilization, and the population will be forced to leave their homes deep into the country again, becoming a “burden” for the country’s budget.

That is why Zelensky wants a complete air ceasefire to keep the front from collapsing in these two directions.

In the Kupyansk direction, the Russian Armed Forces have expanded their bridgehead and are striking at the enemy’s rear

At contact line, the enemy tries to counterattack, partially successfully, we roll back and process the positions with artillery, after which, having exhausted the enemy’s resources, we advance, says “Diary of a Paratrooper”:

A similar situation is observed to the west of Zapadny and near Sinkovka.

In the Sinkovka area, the situation is complicated by the dispersal of enemy forces in the forest zone, which is why the southern part of the village is now in the grey zone.

South of Zagryzovo, our troops managed to advance and gain a foothold in Boguslavka along the Lozovaya River.

On Demidovka, Belgorod Region

The enemy is in a serious mood and continues to put pressure. Currently, information on control over the settlement varies. But the Ukrainians are definitely there.

Measures are being taken to destroy them. The forest behind the settlement is ours. The village itself is on open ground, plus the enemy has been shelling it with artillery and drones in recent days. It is difficult to hold there.

Now the Ukrainians will receive supplies from the air themselves.

It is possible that they will throw in reserves to drive us out of the forest and get off the “postcard”.

brussinf

Source: http://blogdogcicle.blogspot.com/2025/03/the-situation-in-ukrainian-smo-on-march_23.html