Since 19 September 2022, a military campaign has taken place along a frontline in western parts of Luhansk Oblast and far-eastern parts of Kharkiv Oblast amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The frontline has been referred to as the Svatove–Kreminna line or the Kupiansk–Svatove–Kreminna–Bilohorivka line, after the major settlements that lie along it.
Background
The city of Svatove fell on 6 March 2022, less than two weeks into the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Kreminna, a city in Luhansk Oblast, was captured by Russian forces on 19 April.
Between 5 and 13 May, Russian forces began a series of military engagements on the Lyman-Sievierodonetsk front. The settlement of Bilohorivka in Luhansk Oblast was one of the places where Russian forces tried unsuccessfully to cross the Siverskyi Donets, becoming a hot spot of fighting in early May 2022.
With the fall of Lysychansk and its western outskirts in July 2022, Russia and its puppet state the Luhansk People's Republic declared full control of Luhansk Oblast for the first time, achieving an objective of the Russian campaign. Bilohorivka became one of the last settlements in Luhansk Oblast to come under Russian control.
Campaign
Kreminna–Lyman front On the night of 27–28 September 2022, Ukrainian forces crossed the Siverskyi Donets River at Dronivka, stormed the Siverskyi Donets Forest Park, and successfully blocked the critical Kreminna-Torske road. Surviving troops from the BARS-13 detachment and 20th Guards Combined Arms Army, previously based in Lyman where they sustained heavy casualties during the battle for the town, reestablished themselves in Kreminna.
On 2 October, Ukrainian forces began heavily bombarding Russian positions in Kreminna, advancing as far as the R-66 highway. The following day, Ukrainian troops managed to intersect a segment of the highway between Chervonopopivka and Pishchane, although were pushed back by Russian forces. To counter Ukrainian advances, Russian forces had mined all access roads to Kreminna and Svatove, according to Luhansk Regional Military Administration head Serhiy Haidai.
Between 2 and 13 October, Ukrainian troops recaptured 14 towns and villages, including Borova, along the Kharkiv-Luhansk border. Ukrainian forces also advanced towards Chervonopopivka on the Svatove-Kreminna highway, although they were pushed back from their positions by 5 October.
On 18 October, Russia attempted an assault with artillery support on Stelmakhivka, Hrekivka, Nadia and Novoiehorivka, but the attack was repulsed. Russian troops continued to shell liberated settlements.
The Ukrainian military announced that its forces had recaptured the villages of and Miasozharivka on 24 October.
Both Russian and Ukrainian media reported on 9 November that fighting continued in the town's neighborhoods and that fierce street fighting continued in the following weeks and months.
During November, there were little territorial changes due to the muddy terrain, although fierce battles raged every day. Much of the Russian defense line in northern Luhansk Oblast became staffed with newly mobilized Russian reservists throughout the month.
On 16 November, the commander of BARS-13 (Russian Combat Reserve) stated that Ukrainian forces had launched a counteroffensive near the city of Kreminna and that counteroffensive operations had been extended 12 km south of Kreminna to Bilohorivka. This counteroffensive operation aimed for Ukrainian forces to regain lost territories in Luhansk south of the Donets. Powerful artillery attacks began with precision strikes from HIMARS multi-barrel rocket systems. Luhansk Oblast Governor Serhiy Haidai stated on 17 November that fierce fighting was taking place near Bilohorivka.
In early December, Ukrainian forces broke through Russian lines around Chervonopopivka, with fighting mostly centered west of the R-66 highway connecting Kreminna and Svatove. By early December, Ukraine had advanced to the hills west of Chervonopopivka.
Throughout December, relentless battles occurred along the line, with both Russian and Ukrainian forces launching daily attacks to varying degrees of success. On 18 December, a geolocated video showed Ukrainian forces advancing in the Serebryansky forest south of Kreminna.
According to Luhansk Oblast governor Serhiy Haidai, Russian forces constructed "a very powerful defense" in the region by December 2022, and were bringing "huge" quantities of reserves and equipment to renew their forces. By the end of January 2023, Ukraine said its advances along the line had slowed.
In early February 2023, Russian troops increased the number of attacks in the Kreminna area, to identify weak points in the defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
On the night between 26 and 27 January 2023, Russian forces reportedly began preparing for a new offensive west of Kreminna, launching small ground attacks near Dibrova. Clashes broke out along the front line, with Russian forces conducting attacks towards Ukrainian positions in Chervonopopivka, Ploshchanka, Nevske, and west of Kreminna. Much of the fighting and counterattacks between Ploshchanka and Kreminna during this period were conducted by the 144th Guards Motor Rifle Division, according to the ISW.
By 8–9 February, Ukrainian government sources and independent analysts said that a Russian offensive along the Svatove-Kreminna line had begun. Luhansk Oblast governor Serhiy Haidai said "there has been a significant increase in attacks and shelling." A main goal of the Russian offensive was said to have been to push Ukrainian forces back over the Oskil River which runs through Kupiansk, as well as to make a "buffer zone" for the Luhansk region. Leonid Pasechnik, president of the Russia-controlled Luhansk People's Republic, claimed Ukraine was bringing reinforcements to the area, making the situation "very difficult". A Ukrainian soldier fighting in Kreminna stated Russian ground attacks usually consisted of small groups of around fifteen men. Drone warfare also became prevalent on the front.
Between 19 and 20 June 2023, Russian forces intensified offensive operations west of Kreminna.
On 22 June, graphic footage showed Ukrainian forces repelling attacks by Russian Storm-Z, 80th Guards Tank Regiment, and Akhmat forces in the Serebryansky forest.
By 11 July, geolocated footage indicated that Russian forces had entered eastern parts of the village of Torske west of Kreminna.
On 17 July, Russian forces continued limited ground attacks southwest and south of Kreminna, but without much success. The ISW assessed that this was likely an effort to exploit Ukrainian operational focus on other sectors of the front and draw Ukrainian reserves away from critical areas along the frontline, and said Russia's effort was likely being hindered by their front-line personnel being poorly trained and equipped Storm-Z penal units.
At the end of December 2024, geolocated footage indicated that Russian forces had advanced to the northeastern and southeastern outskirts of Terny.
On 4-5 January 2025, geolocation records indicate that Ukrainian forces retook positions in central Terny. Simultaneously, different geolocation records show that Russian troops advanced across the Zherebets River and entered central Ivanivka.
On 6 January, ISW reported that it was likely that Russian forces had captured Ivanivka and were advancing southwest of the settlement, as well as in the fields northwest of Terny.
Kharkiv Oblast–Luhansk Oblast border On 5 August 2023, Russian forces captured the village of Novoselivske, amid Russian attacks in the northeast which were reportedly attempts to divert Ukrainian forces from the southern campaign.
On 25 August and 2 September 2023, geolocated footage showed that Russian forces recaptured tactical heights west of and southeast of , respectively. A few days later on 11 September 2023, there was also a small advance north of Serhiivka.
On 30 August 2024, Russia seized the village of Stelmakhivka. In early December 2024, Ukrainian sources reported that Russian forces successfully took control of the villages of Pershotravneve and Vyshneve. Simultaneously, in the southeast of Kupiansk, geolocated footage indicated that Russian forces recently advanced westward along the bridge over the Oskil River, following the P-79 Kruhlyakivka-Kupiansk highway, west of Kruhlyakivka and north of settlements along the eastern bank of the river.
On 11 December, Ukrainian forces recaptured Kopanky.
Russian milbloggers claimed on 15 December that Russian forces advanced north of Zelenyi Hai.
Russian forces advanced northward and northeastward towards Kruhlyakivka and Zahryzove on 19 December. The following day, Russian troops advanced into northern Zahryzove.
In late December, southeast of Kupiansk, Russian troops captured Lozova and Berestove and advanced along Stepova Road south of Zahryzove and east of Novoiehorivka.
By 5 January 2025, Russian forces had made progress in the fields northwest of Lozova. On 7 January, Russian forces raised their flag in Lozova, indicating that they had captured the village.
On 15 January, geolocated footage indicate that Russian forces recently advanced to the north and northwest of Vyshneve, as well as to the west of Makiivka.
On 17 January, geolocated footage indicated that Russian forces advanced east of Zeleny Hai.
On 20 January, the Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that Russian forces had seized Novoiehorivka. However, this claim was later refuted by a Ukrainian officer.
On 23 March 2025, Ukrainian forces of the 3rd Assault Brigade recaptured the village of Nadiya and about three square kilometers of surrounding territory. Andriy Biletsky, a spokesman for the Third Army Corps, stated that it had taken Russian forces two months to capture Nadiya, and that the Russian 752nd and 254th Motor Rifle Regiments have been rendered combat ineffective due to their losses in taking, and attempting to hold, Nadiya.
South of the Siverskyi Donets River During the 2022 Kharkiv counteroffensive, on 19 September, Russian troops were forced to leave Bilohorivka, beginning heavy fighting for the village again. These gains gave Ukraine back a "foothold in the region". On 20 September 2022, Luhansk Oblast governor Serhiy Haidai reported that Russian troops had "razed [Bilohorivka] to the ground" during their failed attempts to recapture it, stating that Ukrainian forces had full control of the town.
On 18 October, Russia attempted an assault with artillery support on Bilohorivka, but the attack was repulsed. Russian troops continued to shell liberated settlements.
On 8 December, Haidai said Russia had deployed more troops near Lysychansk to capture Bilohorivka and described an intensified Russian air offensive.
Russian forces continued offensive operations at Bilohorivka on 16 January 2023. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Ukrainian forces repulsed Russian attacks at Verkhniokamianske, Spirne, and Bilohorivka. Geolocated imagery showed that Russian forces made minor progress north of Bilohorivka.
In early February, Russian troops increased the number of attacks in the Bilohorivka area, to identify weak points in the defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Ukrainian forces still maintained a presence in Bilohorivka by 7 February, despite repeated claims from Russian sources that Russia had captured the town. Russian forces made limited advances near Bilohorivka on 23 March, on 12 April, and on 22 May.
On 20 May 2024, the Russian defence ministry stated it had fully recaptured Bilohorivka. Ukraine's General Staff said their troops were still "holding back" Russian forces near the settlement.
On 23 February 2025 Russian forces captured Bilohorivka. Ukrainian officials reported the loss of the rural settlement. However, Ukrainian forces continued to maintain positions on the outskirts of Bilohorivka.
Kupiansk front