Russia reverts back to conducting mechanized assaults in the frontline areas, ISW says. A Ukrainian delegation meets with the manufacturer of Tomahawk missiles during a U.S. visit. Russia launches a third major attack on Ukraine’s gas infrastructure in a week.
Russia reverts back to conducting mechanized assaults in frontline areas, ISW says
Russian forces have conducted three company- and battalion-sized mechanized assaults in priority areas of Donetsk Oblast over the last two weeks, marking an inflection in recent Russian armor usage in Ukraine, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said in an update on Tuesday. The paragraphs below are quoted from the report.
Russian forces largely stopped conducting reinforced company-sized mechanized assaults in late 2024 and have only conducted a handful of battalion-sized mechanized assaults during 2025. Russian forces, before October 2025, most recently conducted a battalion-sized mechanized assault in western Zaporizhia Oblast in April 2025.
Russian forces have largely favored leveraging small groups of infantry to conduct infiltration missions and make slow advances throughout the frontline over conducting mechanized assaults during the first nine months of 2025. Russian forces are still leveraging infantry to advance but have conducted several comparatively larger mechanized assaults in their priority Kostyantynivka-Druzhkivka and Dobropillya tactical areas of Donetsk Oblast in recent weeks.
Russian forces conducted an at least reinforced company-sized mechanized assault near Pankivka (east of Dobropillya) around October 6, during which Ukrainian forces damaged and destroyed four tanks and eight armored vehicles. Russian forces conducted a reinforced battalion-sized mechanized assault south of Shakhove and Volodymyrivka (both immediately northeast of Pankivka) on October 9. Ukrainian sources reported that Russian forces used 35 tanks and armored vehicles and an unspecified number of motorcycles during the assault and that Ukrainian forces damaged and destroyed three tanks, 16 armored vehicles, and 41 motorcycles during the assault.
Russian forces appear to be conducting larger mechanized assaults during rainy and foggy weather conditions, which complicate Ukrainian drone operations. The Ventusky weather radar recorded moderate to slightly heavy rainfall during the morning of October 9 and light rainfall on the morning of October 13 at the respective locations of the Russian mechanized assaults. Another weather monitoring service indicated that the Dobropillya area had several hours of cloudy conditions and fog on the morning of October 6. Several Ukrainian military sources throughout Fall 2025 have discussed how Russian forces have exploited rainy weather conditions that limit Ukraine’s drone operations.
Russian forces may also be reverting back to conducting mechanized assaults in areas where Russian infantry are struggling to advance. Ukrainian military observer Kostyantyn Mashovets noted on October 13 that the Russian units operating in the Dobropillya salient, particularly elements of the 51st CAA, have recently struggled to seize Shakhove after advancing near the settlement. Elements of the 51st CAA, including the 5th Motorized Rifle Brigade, conducted many of the mechanized assaults that Russian forces leveraged to advance west of Donetsk City in Summer and Fall 2025. These units may be reverting back to conducting mechanized assaults in the face of more challenging Ukrainian defensive positions near Shakhove, or potentially after Russian forces assess that Ukrainian defenses are attritted following weeks of Russian infantry assaults.
Ukraine delegation meets with manufacturer of Tomahawk missiles during U.S. visit
A Ukrainian government delegation during a U.S. visit has met with representatives of Raytheon company that produces Tomahawk cruise missiles, head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak said in a post to social media on Wednesday.
Other members of the delegation included Ukraine’s Prime Minister Yuliya Svyrydenko, Secretary of the Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov, First Deputy Foreign Minister Serhiy Kyslytsya and Ukraine’s Ambassador to the U.S. Olha Stefanishyna.
The delegation also met with another American weapons manufacturer, Lockheed Martin.
“Their technology is saving lives. The F-16s and state of the art air defense systems are protecting the Ukrainian skies, while their offensive solutions are a reliable support to our forces on the frontlines,” Yermak said, adding that Ukraine’s cooperation with the two companies “continues to grow.”
Ukraine is keen to obtain the Tomahawks, which could allow it to accurately strike targets deep inside Russia.
Russia launches third major attack on Ukraine’s gas infrastructure in a week
Russia conducted three major attacks against Ukraine’s gas infrastructure in the past week with a combined heat and power plant overnight being the latest target, chairman of the board of Ukrainian state oil and gas company Naftogaz, Serhiy Koretskyi said Wednesday.
“The enemy struck gas production facilities in Kharkiv region and earlier targeted gas infrastructure in the regions of Sumy and Chernihiv. These sites have no relation to military targets. Russian terrorists are committing another act of terrorism, aiming to deprive Ukraine of gas, heat, and electricity in the winter,” Koretskyi said in a statement.
Naftogaz said on October 3 that Russia launched the biggest attack of the war on its gas production sites, critically damaging some of them. The company said its facilities in Kharkiv and Poltava regions were targeted with 35 missiles and 60 drones.
