Russian Defence Ministry on progress of special military operation as of 21 September 2025
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation.
The Sever Group of Forces inflicted losses on three mechanised brigades, two heavy mechanised brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and one territorial defence brigade near Alekseyevka, Andreyevka, Iskriskovshchina, Varachino, Sennoye, and Pavlovka (Sumy region).
In Kharkov direction, units of one motorised infantry brigade, two mechanised brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and one territorial defence brigade have been hit close to Bely Kolodez, Veliky Burluk, Polnaya, and Volchansk (Kharkov region).
The AFU lost more than 185 troops, one tank, seven motor vehicles, one field artillery gun, one counter-fire radar station, one electronic warfare station, and four ammunition depots.
The Zapad Group’s units improved the tactical situation. Russian troops hit three mechanised brigades, two assault brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, one marine brigade, one territorial defence brigade, and one national guard brigade were hit near Kupyansk, Pristin, Nechvolodovka (Kharkov region), Kirovsk, Shandrigolovo, Drobyshevo, Dronovka, Krymki, and Yampol (Donetsk People’s Republic).
The enemy losses amounted to more than 225 troops, one Canadian-made Senator armoured fighting vehicle, 16 motor vehicles, and four artillery guns. Ten electronic warfare stations and three ammunition depots were neutralised.
The Yug Group’s units took more advantageous lines and positions. Russian troops hit seven mechanised brigades, one assault brigade, one mountain assault brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, one marine brigade, one territorial defence brigade, and one national guard brigade were defeated near Seversk, Stepanovka, Reznikovka, Aleksandro-Kalinovo, and Konstantinovka (Donetsk People’s Republic).
The enemy lost up to 220 troops, one U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carrier, two armoured fighting vehicles, 11 pickup trucks, and five field artillery guns. Two electronic warfare stations, four ammunition depots, and one fuel depot were neutralised.
itrov, Nikolaypolye, Rodinskoye, Krasny Liman, Krasnoarmeysk (Donetsk People’s Republic), and Ivanovka (Dnepropetrovsk region).
The AFU losses amounted to more than 500 troops, one U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carrier, three Kazak armoured fighting vehicles, six motor vehicles, and one field artillery gun.
The Vostok Group of Forces continued their advance to the depths of the enemy’s defence defeated formations of two mechanised brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, one territorial defence brigade, and one national guard brigade close to Novovasilevskoye, Uspenovka, Poltavka, Novogrigorovka (Zaporozhye region) and Novonikolayevka (Dnepropetrovsk region).
The AFU lost up to 340 troops, one armoured fighting vehicle, 14 motor vehicles, and one artillery gun.
The Dnepr Group’s units inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of one mechanised brigade, one mountain assault brigade and three coastal defence brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near Tyaginka, Nikolskoye (Kherson region), Stepnogorsk, and Stepovoye (Zaporozhye region).
Up to 45 Ukrainian troops, nine motor vehicles, and four electronic warfare stations were neutralised.
Operational-tactical aircraft, attack UAVs, missile troops and artillery of the Russian groups of forces engaged the launching sites of long-range unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as temporary deployment points of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries in 138 areas.
The Black Sea Fleet eliminated two uncrewed enemy surface vehicles in the north-western part of the Black Sea.
Air defence systems shot down 65 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles.
In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, the enemy has lost:
667 aircraft,
283 helicopters,
85,483 unmanned aerial vehicles,
628 anti-aircraft missile systems,
25,198 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles,
1,592 MLRS combat vehicles,
29,777 field artillery guns and mortars,
42,309 units of support military vehicles.