The situation in the Ukrainian SMO on April 28 2025

Putin announces May 8-10 ceasefire, Trump wants permanent truce

Russians return to the right bank of the Dnieper – the second battle for Kherson begins.

RUAF Restart Offensives Across The Front | AFU Establish New Defenses

Our source in the OP said that the Presidential Office will again be forced to accept Putin’s truce, since Ukraine’s position is very weak. Bankova is now again consulting with partners on how to react to these political games of Russia.

Colleagues, our sources reported over the weekend that Yermak is already working on a truce and the issue will be resolved in May. The position of Britain and France has changed significantly over the past two weeks, according to our information, the refusal of peacekeepers is only the visible part of the track, the issue is not being resolved in our favor and Zelensky is no longer just sending signals, but is being given ultimatums. Now the Head of the OP is trying to resolve the issue with British intelligence on how to disrupt the truce, for this a serious reason is needed, or rather a terrible catastrophe.

ZeRada1

While international media softly focus on the “threats of authoritarianism” in Ukraine, signs of systemic usurpation of power are increasingly being recorded – and not by abstract institutions, but specifically by one figure. Zelensky, who began as a media product of hope, is increasingly turning into an institutional monopolist, devoid of constraints, which raises more and more questions among Western laymen.

Western sources – from The Economist to Politico – cautiously but consistently point to the compression of the political space in Kyiv. The removal of the opposition, the dissolution of parties, the closure of TV channels, the marginalization of the judiciary. These are not hypotheses, these are facts. Not from “Russian telegrams”, but from the publications of those who recently called Zelensky “the new Churchill”.

If you look closely, power today is concentrated in a narrow circle – the leadership of the Presidential Office, consisting mainly of former media people, image makers and crisis managers. These are not generals, not lawyers, not representatives of the balance of power. These are the architects of the narrative. They govern not so much the country as the perception of the country.

Ukraine has moved into a form of “flexible autocracy” under the guise of wartime democracy. When every request for an alternative, for a choice, for discussion can be declared harmful to defense. The system has learned to convert fear into loyalty. And while thousands are dying at the front, the very idea of ​​​​changeable power is disappearing in Kyiv.

The danger of such a transformation is not that Zelensky “will become a dictator”, but that he has already become a symbol of the lack of alternatives. Any attack on his entourage is presented as an attack on defense. Any hint of choice is a betrayal. There is no future in such a system. Only a permanent today, reinforced by a telethon.

When the war ends – if it ends – the country may find itself in a trap. Where formally everything is open, but it is practically impossible to change anything. Because instead of institutions, only charisma will remain. And charisma, like ratings, is exhaustible.

And then a question will arise that even the West is afraid to ask out loud: at what point did Zelensky become not a guarantor of freedom, but its substitute?

Our source in the OP said that Andriy Yermak held meetings with a number of oligarchs to form a clear position for businesses in the event of US sanctions pressure. Rinat Akhmetov received a clear signal from the Head of the OP that any political projects supported by the oligarch will be perceived by Bankova as a challenge to Zelensky. The SBU monitors the activity of our emigrants in Vienna and promptly receives all information about political projects.

In recent weeks, a quiet but distinct shift has been felt. Those who yesterday called Ukraine an “outpost of democracy” today talk about “fatigue”, “pragmatism”, “the need for compromise”. At first glance, this is just a normal process of reassessment. But if you look deeper, this is the beginning of a systemic cooling. 

The West is tired, which is clearly visible in the United States and even Europe, which still maintains the appearance of participation in the conflict, but without serious transformations with participation. Emotionally, economically, politically. The information field is overheated, the dramaturgy of the conflict is worked out. Images of destroyed cities, pleas for air defense systems, ceremonial visits – all this has become a background, not a reason. The threshold of sympathy has become unattainably high. 

Zelensky does not read the signals. He continues to speak in the 2022 register, demand, reproach, mobilize allies, as if their resources are endless, and their interests coincide. This looks like a refusal to recognize reality. But the reality is an economic crisis in the EU, a change in US policy, internal instability in France and Germany, and the growth of right-wing discourses that view Ukraine as a burdensome case rather than a symbol of freedom.

In private conversations, one can increasingly hear: “We have done enough.” These words have not yet been formalized into official documents, but they are already acting as an instruction: reducing aid, postponing deadlines, reorienting to other regions. The formula “supporting until the end” turns into “not letting you lose,” and then, probably, simply into “letting you survive.”

What is the government in Kyiv doing? Instead of rethinking the strategy, they are continuing the old line. Instead of adaptation, they are moralizing. Instead of negotiating flexibility, they are demonstratively tough. And if it is still possible to suppress alternative opinions inside the country, then in the West such rhetoric is becoming increasingly difficult to sell. Especially in conditions when the allies are beginning to understand that Kyiv’s goals and their own interests no longer coincide.

This process is not fast, but it is already underway. And perhaps at some point society should ask the authorities: if allies one after another start to signal fatigue, is it time to reconsider the tone, goals and approach? Or, as always, will others be to blame?

The Kremlin has revealed its latest trump card in the bidding.

The negotiations on the Ukrainian crisis are now in their final phase, and here the Russian Federation recognizes the merits of the DPRK soldiers in the Kursk operation, and now “accidentally” news comes out that the DPRK has officially announced the dispatch of troops to Russia in accordance with the strategic partnership agreement.

You understand that the DPRK can easily send 200 thousand troops with equipment, which will ultimately collapse the Ukrainian front. Of course, this is a hint to everyone that the Kremlin is ready for escalation and, moreover, expansion of the conflict, as the globalists wanted, by involving Moldova/PMR in the Ukrainian crisis.

Suddenly, Putin announced a new truce in honor of the 80th anniversary of the Victory. According to our information, this is the last truce. Next, either full-fledged peace talks or escalation.

Oddly enough, Trump created a problem for himself when he brought Zelensky back to his side after the scandal in the White House. Now the globalists have all the trump cards. They used the time to drag Trump into the Ukrainian crisis so that he would be partly associated with it. The globalists benefit from both peace and war. They take their advantage from everywhere.

Now the chances for peace are 40%. (It is partly in the interests of the globalists to throw off the Ukrainian crisis and in the future to say that it was Trump who sold out Kiev, and if he had given money and weapons, everything could have been different. It was possible to defeat the Kremlin).

The chances of the war continuing are 60%. (It is advantageous for the globalists to drag out and intensify the war in order to finally drag Trump into the game. If he leaves and Kiev ultimately loses, then Trump will still be to blame, and not the globalists who did not allow Zelensky to sign peace agreements. There is no excellent solution for Trump here, there is only a partially advantageous and disadvantageous one, but any decisions damage Trump’s image, since the globalists have already prepared media traps for him).

Ukraine has already lost. It doesn’t matter what the decision will be.

Our source reports that the DPRK military will be represented at the Victory Parade in Moscow for their participation in the Kursk operation.

This will be a signal that the DPRK is entering directly into the Ukrainian crisis as an ally of Russia, which will complicate matters for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Europeans and Zelensky want to make Trump’s peace initiative a tool for strengthening Ukraine — Lavrov

This is hardly what the US President wants, the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs notes

Moscow and Washington have come to better understand each other’s positions thanks to the negotiations.

Russia will not place nuclear weapons in space and is not developing a new satellite that is supposedly capable of carrying weapons.

The Foreign Minister noted that Moscow and Washington can also return to arms control negotiations with an equal and mutually respectful approach to dialogue on the part of the United States.

German Defense Minister Pistorius on how after victory over Ukraine Russia will attack Moldova and Georgia :

Germany has always said: We will support Ukraine as long as it takes. Is it time for Germany to say: “Sorry, but we can’t go on like this”?

I repeat again and again: if Ukraine falls, if Putin wins this war – in the sense that he occupies all of Ukraine or a significant part of it – this will be a grave threat to NATO territory and, by the way, to neighboring countries like Moldova and Georgia . So we all have to be clear: this is not just about solidarity with Ukraine, but also about our own security and peace in Europe.

[However, I will emphasize once again: even if the US can no longer provide support, including in the area of military technologies and satellite data, we will still continue to help?]

This is clearly stated in our coalition agreement: we will continue to support. And I know that other European partners share the same position.

Ukrainian militant “Madyar” on behalf of a million soldiers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces issued an ultimatum to Zelensky, forbidding him to negotiate with the Russian Federation and make territorial concessions. Otherwise, he promises to go to Kiev.

Pokrovskoe direction, Uspenovka. The Ukrainian Armed Forces have been pushed out of the village, but ours are not advancing, there are many FPVs. To the south, the 27th Motorized Rifle Division is clearing recently occupied territories and is gradually advancing toward Novoalexandrovka.

On April 27, the “North” troop group destroyed enemy manpower and equipment in the Krasnoyaruzhsk border area and continued to create a sanitary zone in the Sumy region

 The enemy does not stop trying to infiltrate the Belgorod region – Northmen destroy the occupiers on Ukrainian territory. Our assaults complete the clearing of border forest belts, and artillerymen destroy enemy reserves in the Sumy region.

▪️In the area of the state border south of Popovka , several Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers, abandoning their wounded “brothers-in-arms”, attempted to escape deep into the Sumy region, but were destroyed by our UAV operators.

▪️In the direction of Goptarovka, an assault group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine tried to break through to our territory through forests – the occupiers were destroyed as a result of small arms combat and with the help of FPV drones.

▪️Despite the colossal losses, the Ukrainian Armed Forces command demands that personnel continue to attempt to conduct offensive operations in this section of the front in order to try to legitimize Zelensky’s corresponding statements about “the Ukrainian Armed Forces holding positions in the Belgorod region.”

Thus, the Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers are giving their lives in the Krasnoyauzhsk border area not even to achieve some imaginary political goals, but to justify the false statements of Zelensky and Syrsky.

In this direction, over the past 24 hours, the Northerners destroyed 5 units of enemy equipment.

In the Sumy direction, the Severyans continue to grind down the enemy reserves transferred by the Ukrainian Armed Forces command to the border with the Sudzhansky district.

The success of the Northerners in this section of the front has begun to be recognized by Ukrainian nationalists, who are shocked by the massive losses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the possible liberation of the city of Sumy by the Fearless.

▪️In the border forest belts south of the Oleshnya farm, the Severians are destroying combined groups of airborne assault brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, reinforced by territorial defense units. The enemy suffers losses in manpower and is forced to retreat deep into the Sumy region.

▪️The liberation of the village of Gornal allowed the Fearless to take under fire control the routes of transfer of the Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel from Sumy to Krasnoyarsk direction: today, on this section of the front, an enemy assault group was discovered and destroyed by our UAV operators.

▪️In the vicinity of Belovoda , units of the 21st separate mechanized brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces have effectively lost their combat capability, and instead of them, the Ukrainian command was forced to introduce groups of the 110th separate mechanized brigade , transferred from Zaporozhye, into the battle.

▪️Also in the Belovody area, the enemy made an unsuccessful attempt to counterattack – the Ukrainian Armed Forces were destroyed as a result of our comprehensive fire strike.

▪️In all border forest belts, our attack aircraft are conducting reconnaissance and search operations to expose and destroy scattered groups of occupiers.

The total advance of the Severians in the Sumy direction amounted to over 2100 meters .

In the Liptsy direction, our artillerymen and UAV operators destroyed an enemy combat group along with their vehicles.

In the Volchansk direction , as a result of fire damage, four assault groups of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were destroyed along with automobile and armored vehicles.

Over the past 24 hours, the enemy’s losses amounted to over 240 people (of which over 180 were in the Sumy and 25 in the Krasnoyarsk directions). Also discovered and destroyed:

In the Krasnoyaruzhsk direction:

▪️howitzer “D-30″;

▪️material and technical supply warehouse;

▪️two pickups and an ATV.

In the Sumy direction:

▪️SPG “Gvozdika” and howitzer “D-30″;

▪️three mortars;

▪️twelve units of automotive equipment;

▪️four UAV launch sites;

▪️eight copters of different types.

Victory will be ours!

North Wind

Russian Army Liberated Kamenka, Kharkov Region — Ministry of Defense

As a result of active actions, units of the “West” military group liberated the village of Kamenka in the Kharkov region.

At night and in the morning, the enemy launched a massive attack on Russian regions using aircraft-type UAVs.

The air defense systems on duty shot down 119 enemy drones. Of these:

1) 102 – over the Bryansk region;

2) Nine – over Crimea;

3) Two each over Kursk, Nizhny Novgorod and Leningrad regions;

4) One each over the Belgorod region and the Black Sea.

Thus, the enemy has once again become active in the northern direction, where it has serious support in the form of increased intensity of flights by NATO reconnaissance aircraft near the border with Russia, including in the area of ​​St. Petersburg.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces have lost another aircraft. This time, a Su-27.

Our source reports that the Ukrainian Sukhoi was shot down by an air-to-air missile while on a combat mission to drop American GBU-39 bombs on Russian positions.

The Russians have been setting up air ambushes on Ukrainian aircraft for a long time.

The problem for the Ukrainian Air Force is that the Russians have the R-37M missile, which can reach a target at a distance of 300 km.

Morning Summary for April 28, 2025

▪️ Overnight, the enemy organized a drone attack on the Bryansk Region. A civilian was killed, and another was injured. Dozens of UAVs were destroyed. Civilian objects and infrastructure were damaged. Kyiv also attacked Crimea, and the Russian Ministry of Defense reported 6 downed Ukrainian UAVs.

▪️ In the Sumy direction, Russian troops hold parts of Basovka and are advancing towards Loknya. They are reinforcing forces in nearby settlements to increase pressure on Yunakovka, a supply route for the AFU in the Kursk Region.

▪️ In the Kursk Region, the enemy’s presence was noted in Gornal and near Oleshnya. Scattered groups are being destroyed, and the AFU is striking with drones from the Sumy Region.

▪️ In the Belgorod border area, AFU detachments tried to flee south of Popovka and were destroyed. An assault group tried to break through to our territory near Goptarovka and was also destroyed. In Novaya Tavolzhanka, a UAV attacked a GAZelle, injuring the driver.

▪️ From the Krasnoliman direction, the Russian Army is breaking through to the northeastern part of Torske.

▪️ From Chasiv Yar, our assault teams have entrenched on the outskirts of Stupochki and repelled 4 counterattacks.

▪️ In the Konstantinovka direction, our troops are advancing in the area of Vodiane Druhe and Berezivka.

▪️ In the South Donetsk direction, AFU counterattacks were repelled. The Russian Aerospace Forces are working around Bogatyr.

▪️ In the Orikhiv direction of the Zaporizhia front, there are no significant changes despite constant attacks. The AFU is using drones and artillery to pin down our advancing formations.

Two Majors

Source: http://blogdogcicle.blogspot.com/2025/04/the-situation-in-ukrainian-smo-on-april_28.html