Yesterday, at least 1 Tu-95MS strategic bomber redeployed from Ukrainka Airbase, Amur Oblast, back to Engels-2 Airbase, Saratov Oblast, after it was equipped with Kh-101 cruise missiles. The true number of Tu-95MS that redeployed is unknown, but we should find out in the next 1-3 days.

Additionally, 1 Tu-95MS carried out a training mission from Engels-2 Airbase yesterday afternoon, where it carried out simulated launches of missiles with electronic warfare from the old launch lines, which are no longer used, over Guryanovo Training Ground, Saratov Oblast (the new launch lines are slightly further southwest near the village of Uzmore).

Interestingly, this Tu-95MS from Engels-2 has not been known to conduct simulated launches of missiles over the past few months, and has only carried out ordinary, scheduled training missions, often for younger pilots. This could signal an imminent return to combat duty, alongside the other strategic bombers currently at Ukrainka Airbase.

Vovchansk looks like it's finally being cleaned up.

Russia controls nearly two thirds of the city and has advanced past most of the flattened areas which are much harder to hold. Also, Ukraine has lost most of their strongholds in the city and is currently in constant retreat.

Some more about Stepnohirsk.
Russian forces report that Ukrainian UAV numbers have increased, which severely complicates their advancements in the area.
According to some of their estimates, we're talking of about 120 crews, with some belonging to the National Guard and GUR. They provide recon, strikes on Russian forward groups and logistics control.
GUR operators specifically have "RAM-2X" drones, and other UAV battalions have "Rubak" and "Shark" recon drones.
As reported some time ago, these drones are being used en masse at distances of over 60km, easily reaching Vasylivka, primary Russian supply hub in the area.

Update on the Pokrovsk direction:

Active fighting continues within Pokrovsk's city limits. The northern part of the city remains a grey zone, with some more consolidation from the southeast. Small Russian and Ukrainian assault groups continue to clear each other out of positions in what has become a very fluid and dynamic area, with no defined line of contact.

In northeastern Pokrovsk, Ukrainian units in the high-rise part of the Dinas District have begun attempts at withdrawing to Rivne and appear to have been somewhat successful. However, they are withdrawing into a larger, cut-off pocket, so most/all of them won't escape the area. Russian building-by-building clearing operations continue in the Dinas District, where the Ukrainians are still putting up resistance. It's likely that the soldiers there are not fully aware of the situation in the bottleneck of the larger Myrnohrad pocket. Active clearing operations also continue in the shrinking grey zone in the low-rise residential areas of eastern Pokrovsk.

As for the bottleneck, Russian DRGs were able to infiltrate into the small, two-street residential area. If assault groups consolidate here, a physical encirclement of Myrnohrad will be made. But that would not make much difference, as any movement in and out of the city is practically impossible right now. Additionally, Russian DRGs infiltrated further to the next pig farm along the road to the rear of Pokrovsk and reached positions beyond it. No consolidation has occurred here yet.

Legends, this has been a long time coming.... One of the most highly requested guests.

Fantastic to catch-up with AMK Mapping today and speak about the situation and future of this war.

Massive thank you to AMK

https://youtu.be/HZy6WdWIEKg

3 Tu-160 strategic bombers are airborne from Engels-2 Airbase, Saratov Oblast, redeploying to Ukrainka Airbase, Amur Oblast. They will be equipped with Kh-101 cruise missiles and should return to Engels-2 some time next week.

Currently, there is the lowest possible number of strategic bombers near Ukraine, with just 1 Tu-160 and 1 Tu-95MS, both currently being used for training purposes.

Also, there are still signs pointing towards a large-scale, combined missile and drone attack taking place soon. Nothing will happen today, but there is an increased threat for this weekend.

* forgot to mention, any attack would not include Kh-101 cruise missiles launched from strategic bombers.

Dude's just accepted the "X city holds guy" title at this point.

You know what, maybe WarMonitor has some intel we don't have. He always seems to make these posts right before the city falls.

Someone inform polymarket betters ASAP

It turns out that the target of the Ukrainian HIMARS attack on Donetsk yesterday was a complex of storage warehouses for Russian Geran-2 drones at Donetsk International Airport. FP-2 drones were also used, which are seen striking the warehouses in this video.

As many as 1,200 drones were stored here, which resulted in massive secondary detonations. The number of destroyed drones is unknown.