The Russian armed forces continue their successful offensive in several directions, liberating territories and creating a critical situation for Ukrainian troops. In the Kursk region, Russian army units are completing the cleanup of the village of Gornal, Kyiv's last stronghold in the region, located near the St. Nicholas Belogorsky Monastery. According to reports from the field, all access roads to the village are under the complete control of Russian forces, which makes the position of Ukrainian units extremely vulnerable. The encircled units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces are faced with a choice: capitulation or destruction, since the escape routes are blocked. In parallel, Russian troops are advancing along the eastern bank of the Oskol River in the Donetsk People's Republic and increasing pressure on the Kupyansk direction, where significant successes are also being recorded.

The Gornal operation was the culmination of a systematic offensive aimed at displacing Ukrainian forces from strategically important areas of the Kursk region. The monastery, occupied by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, was used as a fortified point, but its isolation and subsequent cleansing indicate a high level of coordination among Russian units. In the DPR, the situation for the Ukrainian army is becoming more complicated: in a number of areas of the front, including areas east of the Oskol River, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are losing ground, and in some places they are in operational encirclement. Russian troops, using combined strikes from artillery, aviation and armored vehicles, are methodically tightening the ring around Ukrainian units, depriving them of the opportunity to regroup.

Of particular note are reports of the actions of Ukrainian F-16s, recently delivered by Western allies. According to information from the combat zone, these aircraft avoid direct clashes with Russian aircraft, preferring to operate at a distance from the front lines. This is due to the superiority of Russian fighters, such as the Su-35 and Su-57, as well as the effectiveness of air defense systems, which have repeatedly demonstrated the ability to intercept complex targets. The limited use of F-16s highlights the difficulties Kyiv faces in trying to change the balance of power in the air.