Russia’s war on Ukraine. 05.01.26
Operational situation
On the Northern Slobozhansky Direction, Russian forces attacked near Oleksiivka, Varachyne, Novomykolayivka, and Hrabovske.
On the Southern Slobozhansky Direction, Russian forces attacked near Vovchansk, Vovchanski Khutory, Starytsia, Prylipka, Lyman, toward Izbytske, and near Khatnie and Milove.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked near Vovchanski Khutory.
On the Kupyansk Direction, Russian forces attempted to seize Podillya, attacked toward Kupyansk, and near Kutkivka, Synkivka, Fyholivka, Petropavlivka, Kucherivka, Kurylivka, Stepova Novoselivka, Hlushkivka, Nova Kruhlyakivka, Bohuslavka, and Olhivka.
On the Lyman Direction, Russian forces attacked near Novoselivka and Drobysheve, toward Oleksandrivka, and near Stavky, Kolodyazi, Myrne, Torske, and Zarichne, and are attempting to bypass Ukrainian positions near Lyman in an effort to penetrate directly into the city.
On the Sloviansk Direction, Russian forces advanced west and southwest of Sviato-Pokrovske, attacked near Siversk, Dronivka, Ozerne, Yampil, Zakitne, Nykyforivka, Riznykivka, Vasyukivka, Bondarne, and Pazeno.
On the Kostyantynivka Direction, Russian forces advanced along the H20 Kostyantynivka–Druzhkivka highway northeast of Yablunivka, attacked near and inside Kostyantynivka, near Virolyubivka, Minkivka, Oleksandro-Shultyne, Stupochky, Pleshchiivka, Kleban-Byk, Shcherbynivka, and Ivanopillya, toward Berestok, and near Stepanivka, Rusyn Yar, and Sofiivka.
The enemy 77th Motorized Rifle Regiment and 89th Tank Regiment are fighting in the Predtechyne and Stupochky area but are unable to break through to the eastern outskirts of Kostyantynivka. Forward elements of the 8th Combined Arms Army are concentrating infantry within their assault groups, intending in the near term to resume active offensive actions in order to reach the Stepanivka–Berestok line and subsequently break through to the western and southern districts of Kostyantynivka along the Kryvyi Torets River. The enemy is unable to fully take control of Pleshchiivka and Ivanopillya in order to continue the offensive on Berestok from the eastern end of the reservoir, which slows the entire offensive. The 103rd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 150th Motorized Rifle Division of the 8th Combined Arms Army is attacking toward Toretsk–Berestok, and the 4th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 3rd Combined Arms Army is attacking toward Dyliivka–Kostyantynivka, but they are also unable to accomplish their immediate tactical tasks. The 72nd Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade broke through to Kostyantynivka several weeks ago, but due to the slowdown of neighboring units it cannot develop its success. The 54th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 6th Motorized Rifle Division of the 3rd Army Corps, several elements of the 77th Motorized Rifle Regiment, and the 1219th and 1436th Motorized Rifle Regiments managed to advance toward Stepanivka by only 1 km over two months. The 10th Tank Regiment of the 20th Motorized Rifle Division of the 8th Combined Arms Army is attacking from Yablunivka toward Berestok with the task of seizing the settlement.
Ukrainian Defense Forces operate south of Kostyantynivka.
On the Pokrovsk Direction, Russian forces attacked near Shakhove, Kucheriv Yar, Zaporizhzhia, near and inside Pokrovsk, Rodynske, Bilytske, Zatyshok, Myrnohrad, Kotlyne, Udachne, and Molodetske, and toward Serhiivka. The 27th Motorized Rifle Division of the 2nd Combined Arms Army is attempting to advance north of Pokrovsk.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked in Pokrovsk, advanced in the center of Rodynske, and south of Hryshyne.
On the Oleksandrivka Direction, Russian forces advanced near Novopavlivka, Filiya, Andriivka-Klevtsove, Yalta, Oleksandrohrad, Vyshneve, Oleksiivka, and Vorone, and toward Sosnivka.
On the Huliaypole Direction, Russian forces attacked near Huliaypole, Dobropillya, Varvarivka, Zelenyi, Rybne, Zlahoda, and Dorozhanka, and toward Zaliznychne and Svyatopetrivka.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked near Huliaypole.
On the Orikhiv Direction, the 270th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 42nd Motorized Rifle Division of the 58th Combined Arms Army is clearing Bilohirya. Russian forces attacked near Mala Tokmachka, Stepove, and Shcherbaky, toward Novoandriivka, Pavlivka, and Novoyakovlivka.
General conclusion:
On the Northern Slobozhansky Direction, Russian forces resume combat operations, attempt to infiltrate in small groups in border areas, seek to hold Hrabovske through remote terrain mining, experience logistical difficulties, and use UAVs to supply forward positions.
Russian forces resume active combat operations in Kharkiv Oblast after a tactical pause, attempt to bypass Vovchansk in order to take positions in Vilcha and break through toward Vovchanski Khutory. The enemy’s tactic consists of the constant buildup of small fire groups that reconnoiter Ukrainian positions.
Fewer than 60–70 enemy servicemen remain in Kupyansk. The enemy is unable to break through to Kupyansk from the north and dislodge Ukrainian Defense Forces from positions on the left bank of the Oskil River.
On the Kostyantynivka Direction, the enemy plan envisages a double envelopment of the entire Druzhkivka–Kostyantynivka agglomeration in two stages: bypassing Kostyantynivka itself from the east and southwest with a breakthrough into the eastern, southern, and western parts of the city from these Directions, and an enemy breakthrough in the general Direction of Shakhove–Sofiivka–Rayske toward the near approaches to Druzhkivka, as well as a breakthrough in the same Direction but from the Chasiv Yar side toward the area of Semenivka–Bilokuzmynivka–Virolyubivka–Kurtivka. The operation can be implemented only in sequence.
The command of the enemy “Yug (South)” Operational Grouping delivers the main strike with the adjacent flanks of its tactical groups “Dzerzhynsk” and “Bakhmut” (the area of the Kleban-Byk Reservoir and east of it on the Stupochky–Yablunivka section). To seize Kostyantynivka, the enemy has concentrated formations and units simultaneously from the 3rd, 8th, and 51st Combined Arms Armies, the 3rd Army Corps, and the 78th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 42nd Motorized Rifle Division of the 58th Combined Arms Army, which indicates the secondary nature of this task.
On the Kostyantynivka Direction, the main attack Direction of the 72nd Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 3rd Army Corps is Bila Hora–Kostyantynivka with consolidation in Oleksandro-Shultyne and in the southeastern part of Kostyantynivka, as well as the Predtechyne–Kostyantynivka Direction. The command of the “Bakhmut” tactical group has been able to accomplish these tasks only partially; its forward units have consolidated in Oleksandro-Shultyne and infiltrated with several infantry groups into the southeastern outskirts of Kostyantynivka in the area between Ostrovskoho Street and the “City Drive-2019” service station.
On the Oleksandrivka Direction, Russian forces attempt to use snow to camouflage their positions, employ “zombie” tactics by attacking in groups of 5–6 servicemen equipped with electronic warfare means and anti-drone rifles, expecting that at least 2–3 servicemen will reach Ukrainian positions. The enemy conducts constant attacks and has sufficient reserves.
The 38th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade and the 35th NBC Protection Regiment of the 35th Combined Arms Army intercept Ukrainian UAVs in Zaporizhzhia Oblast; the 14th Separate SOF Brigade strikes near Verkhnya Tersa.
Supporting operation:
Ukrainian Defense Forces struck the Energiia plant in Yelets, Lipetsk Oblast.
Operations at Domodedovo, Vnukovo, and Zhukovsky airports were temporarily restricted.
Change in the line of contact (LoC), directions of attacks and counterattacks:
There were 229 combat engagements on various fronts.
On the Southern Slobozhansky Direction, 8 enemy attacks were stopped in the areas of Vovchansk, Starytsia, Prylipka, Fyholivka, and toward Izbytske and Kutkivka.
On the Kupyansk Direction, 3 enemy attacks occurred. Enemy assault actions were repelled in the areas of Stepova Novoselivka and Pershotravneve, and toward Petropavlivka.
On the Lyman Direction, the enemy attacked 10 times, attempting to wedge into the Ukrainian defense near Novoselivka, Kolodyazne, and Torske.
On the Sloviansk Direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 6 enemy attacks near Dronivka, Siversk, and Sviato-Pokrovske.
On the Kostyantynivka Direction, the enemy carried out 19 attacks in the areas of Stupochky, Pleshchiivka, Oleksandro-Shultyne, Rusyn Yar, and Yablunivka, and toward Sofiivka.
On the Pokrovsk direction, 54 assault actions by the aggressor were stopped in the areas of Shakhove, Nykanorivka, Rodynske, Myrnohrad, Pokrovsk, Kotlyne, Udachne, and Molodetske, and toward Novopavlivka.
On the Oleksandrivka direction, the enemy carried out 24 attacks in the areas of Zelenyi Hai, Oleksandrohrad, Sosnivka, Vorone, Oleksiivka, Vyshneve, Solodke, and Yehorivka.
On the Huliaypole Direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 65 Russian attacks in the areas of Zelene, Huliaypole, Varvarivka, and Dorozhnyanka, and toward Svyatopetrivka.
On the Orikhiv Direction, the enemy made 8 attempts to break through the Ukrainian defense in the areas of Plavni, Mala Tokmachka, Shcherbaky, and Stepove.
Changes in the enemy disposition:
The 34th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 49th Combined Arms Army strikes Ukrainian positions in Ryasne.
The 245th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 47th Tank Division of the 1st Tank Army strikes Ukrainian positions near Martynivka.
The 27th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 1st Tank Army and the 82nd Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment of the 68th Motorized Rifle Division of the 6th Combined Arms Army strike Ukrainian forces in the Kupyansk district; the 79th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 18th Motorized Rifle Division of the 11th Army Corps operates near Dvorichanske.
The 72nd Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 3rd Army Corps strikes Ukrainian positions in the eastern part of Kostyantynivka; the 4th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 3rd Combined Arms Army operates in the southern part of Kostyantynivka; the 78th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 42nd Motorized Rifle Division of the 58th Combined Arms Army and the 1194th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 4th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 3rd Combined Arms Army operate south of Kostyantynivka.
The enemy tactical group “Bakhmut” (the 72nd Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade, the 1008th, 1307th, and 1442nd Motorized Rifle Regiments, the 89th Tank Regiment of the 6th Motorized Rifle Division of the 3rd Army Corps, and the 77th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 7th Military Base of the 58th Combined Arms Army) of the “ Yug (South)” Operational Grouping is preparing for an offensive on Kostyantynivka from the east and southeast, with the immediate task of consolidating in the southeastern part of the city and breaking through to its eastern part, and is actively concentrating infantry in forward units as part of assault groups.
The 61st Separate Marine Brigade operates near Shakhove; the 5th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 51st Combined Arms Army operates in Myrnohrad; the “M. Kryvonos Volunteer Battalion” strikes Ukrainian forces near Pokrovsk.
The 291st Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 42nd Motorized Rifle Division of the 58th Combined Arms Army, the 108th Air Assault Regiment of the 7th Air Assault Division, and the 104th Air Assault Division operate on the Zaporizhzhia Direction; the 247th Air Assault Regiment of the 7th Air Assault Division operates near Stepnohirsk.
Possible operation situation developments:
On the Southern Slobozhanske Direction, the enemy will attempt to capture Vovchansk, attempt to break through in the area of Tsehelne toward the Vovchansk–Staryi Saltiv road and the highway to Rubizhne with the forces of a tactical grouping (elements of the 6th Combined Arms Army, the 11th and the 44th Army Corps). These actions will slow the enemy’s advance along the eastern bank of the Siverskyi Donets to Bilyi Kolodyaz, Verkhnya Pysarivka and Buhayivka.
On the Kupyansk Direction, the enemy will hold its bridgehead in the Dvorichna and simultaneously will develop an offensive by the 47th Tank Division of the 1st Tank Army east of the city. The troops of the 6th Combined Arms Army will envelop the defense area of the 16th Army Corps of Ukrainian Defense Forces near Kolodyazne, will attack in the Milove – Ambarne and Krasne Pershe – Novovasylivka Directions, and will break through in the Dvorichna – Ridkodub Direction. Enemy troops have been tasked with capturing Kupyansk by February 2026.
The defeat of the enemy “Zapad (West)” Operational Grouping in Kupyansk complicates and delays the seizure of the Sloviansk–Kramatorsk agglomeration. The successes of Ukrainian Defense Forces on the Kupyansk Direction will not allow Russian forces to exploit the advance of the troops of the 25th Combined Arms Army near Lyman and the 3rd Combined Arms Army near Siversk, thereby slowing the movement toward Sloviansk. Enemy forces will need to force the Siverskyi Donets River in the Lyman Direction to reach Sloviansk and secure their flanks against a possible counterstrike by Ukrainian Defense Forces from the Izium area. Russian forces are unable to develop an offensive toward Sloviansk from the Siversk Direction, as they do not have a sufficient number of troops there to conduct a frontal assault on the city.
On the Lyman Direction, the enemy’s 20th Combined Arms Army will attempt to seize the Yarova – Novoselivka – Drobysheve – Pryshyb area and block the Lyman – Izium logistics route along the northern bank of the Siverskyi Donets River. The 25th Combined Arms Army will continue its offensive east and southeast of Lyman in order to reach the Dibrova – Ozerne line and create a favorable initial position for an assault on Lyman from the south and southeast and will attempt to seize Zakitne and consolidate on the dominant heights. In addition, through actions on this Direction, the enemy seeks to support the 3rd Combined Arms Army, which is advancing toward Sloviansk along the southern bank of the Siverskyi Donets River. The troops of the 20th and 25th Combined Arms Armies will advance north and east of Lyman with the aim of isolating the defense area of the 3rd Army Corps of the Ukrainian Defense Forces around the city from the north and northwest, in order to reach the Siverskyi Donets River south of the city on the Raihorodok – Zakitne section.
By maintaining control of a bridgehead on the Siverskyi Donets river, 3rd Army Corps of the Ukrainian Defense Forces will make it much more challenging for the enemy to launch an offensive towards Sloviansk from this direction.
On the Sloviansk Direction, the 3rd Combined Arms Army will attempt to break through from the Dronivka – Siversk line to the Zakitne – Riznykivka – Kalenyky – Kryva Luka area, facilitating the offensive on Lyman by the troops of the 25th Combined Arms Army. The advance of the 3rd Combined Arms Army along the southern bank of the Siverskyi Donets River in a westward direction will allow the command of the enemy “Zapad (West)” Operational Grouping not only to concentrate the main forces of the 20th and 25th Combined Arms Armies for the assault on Lyman without diverting them to block Defense Forces positions along the river, but also to ensure maneuver by troops within the zones of the 3rd, 20th, and 25th Combined Arms Armies across the Siverskyi Donets River outside the fire influence of Ukrainian Defense Forces.
Ukrainian Defense Forces will seek opportunities to slow the enemy advance along the southern bank of the Siverskyi Donets River toward Raihorodok and Sloviansk.
On the Kostyantynivka Direction, the enemy command will attempt to conduct a deep envelopment of Kostyantynivka from the north, east, and southeast and to break through from the southwest to the near approaches to Druzhkivka, that is, to enter the deep rear of the 19th Army Corps of Ukrainian Defense Forces defending in Kostyantynivka and to its south and southwest. Enemy troops will advance in the general direction of Volodymyrivka – Rayske to reach the near approaches to Druzhkivka and will attempt to break through from the east and northeast to the Bilokuzmynivka – Virolyubivka – Izhevka – Kurtivka area. Simultaneously, the enemy will conduct a frontal offensive within the defense zone of the 12th “Azov” Separate SOF Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine. The troops of the enemy’s 3rd Army Corps will advance to the Novodmytrivka – Chervone line, collapsing the defense of the 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade of the 11th Army Corps of Ukrainian Defense Forces in Chasiv Yar by an offensive from the south. The aggressor will attack along both banks of the Kazennyi Torets River in the Sofiivka area, attempt to seize the village, and advance toward Novopavlivka and Torske. In the offensive zone of the 8th Combined Arms Army, the enemy will advance in the general direction of Volodymyrivka – Sofiivka.
The Pokrovsk–Myrnohrad defense area of the 7th Rapid Reaction Corps of the Air Assault Forces of Ukrainian Defense Forces will be seized by the enemy by the end of January 2026. By capturing Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad, the enemy gains the chance to launch an offensive toward Dobropillya and potentially break through rapidly, with the 2nd Combined Arms Army advancing from Pokrovsk and the 51st Combined Arms Army moving from the bridgehead on the Kazennyi Torets River. The command of the enemy “Tsentr (Center)” Operational Grouping will not be able to bypass/encircle the defense area of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from the flanks, as the Defense Forces firmly hold the Vilne – Novyi Donbas line, leaving only a frontal offensive on Dobropillya, which will entail enormous losses.
On the Oleksandrivka and Huliaypole Directions, the enemy’s “Vostok (East)” Operational Grouping will attempt to envelop the Huliaypole defensive area of Ukrainian Defense Forces from the north, block its main lines of communication, reach the Huliaypole–Pokrovske road on the Dobropillya–Varvarivka section, reach the Khaychur River, force it in the Danylivka–Dobropillya area, and encircle Huliaypole from the northwest. Forces of the 36th Combined Arms Army and elements of the right flank of the 5th Combined Arms Army will attempt to break through toward Pokrovske from the southeast.
On the Orikhiv Direction, the enemy will try to break through toward Novomykolayivka to bypass the Orikhiv defensive area of Ukrainian Defense Forces from the north. The enemy “Vostok (East)” Operational Grouping will attempt to collapse the defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine southeast of Zaporizhzhia and break through to its near approaches, advancing along the Donetsk–Zaporizhzhia highway. Simultaneously, acting from the south, the enemy’s “Dnepr” Operational Grouping will attempt to break through from the Plavni–Kamianske line along the left bank of the Dnipro River toward Stepnohirsk, and from the Stepove–Mali Shcherbaky line in the northern direction with the aim of reaching the near approaches to the city of Zaporizhzhia.
On the Prydniprovske direction, the command of the enemy’s “Dnepr” Operational Grouping will continue trying to take control of most of the island zone in the Dnipro delta in the direction of Kherson, will try to create a tactical bridgehead on the right bank, and to eliminate the tactical bridgeheads of the 30th Marine Corps of Ukrainian Defense Forces in the area of the automobile and railway bridges near Antonivka.
Russian operational losses from 24.02.22 to 05.01.26
Personnel - almost 1,212 520 (+990);
Tanks – 11,507 (+8);
Armored combat vehicles ‒ 23,857 (+2);
Artillery systems – 35,785 (+29);
Multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) – 1,592 (+2);
Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 1,268 (0);
Vehicles and fuel tanks – 72,945 (+169);
Aircraft - 434 (0);
Helicopters – 347 (0);
UAV operational and tactical level – 100,564 (+704);
Intercepted cruise and other missiles – 4,137 (0);
Boats/ships – 30 (0).
Humanitarian + general:
On the night of 5 January, Russian occupying forces carried out a massive attack on Ukraine, using 165 unmanned aerial vehicles, around 100 of which were Shahed-type drones, as well as Gerbera-type drones and others, and 9 Iskander-M ballistic missiles or S-300 surface-to-air guided missiles. According to the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, air defense forces managed to shoot down or suppress 137 hostile UAVs in the north, east, and center of the country. At the same time, missile strikes and impacts by 26 strike UAVs were recorded at 10 locations, as well as the fall of debris from downed targets at 9 locations. As of 08:00 in the morning, the attack was still ongoing.
On the night of 5 January, the Russian occupation army attacked Kyiv. As a result of a drone hitting the second floor of a building, a medical facility caught fire, one person was killed, and four others were injured, two of them in serious condition. Twenty-five people were evacuated.
As a result of the Russian attack in the Fastiv district of Kyiv Oblast, a man born in 1951 was killed; his body was discovered while firefighters were extinguishing a fire in his home. According to the head of the Kyiv Oblast Military Administration, Mykola Kalashnyk, extensive destruction was recorded in the district: one private house was destroyed, another 12 houses, an apartment building, six garages, and three cars were damaged. In addition, due to an enemy strike, the city of Slavutych was left without power, with critical infrastructure facilities switched to backup power supply, and in the Vyshhorod district a five-story residential building was damaged, from which residents were evacuated.
During the day on 5 January, Russian forces carried out five consecutive ballistic missile strikes on Kharkiv, deliberately targeting the city’s energy infrastructure. Mayor Ihor Terekhov reported that the damage was very significant, as protective structures are unable to withstand such a number of ballistic missile hits. As a result of the enemy attack, a 58-year-old man was injured.
Russian forces struck Dnipro with drones, as a result of which an enterprise and a power transmission line were damaged. The attack targeted a plant owned by the American company Bunge in Dnipro, which produces “Oleina” sunflower oil. According to Mayor Borys Filatov, 300 tons of oil spilled onto the city’s roads as a result of the strike. The mayor emphasized that the aggressor bombed specifically American property, as the facility belongs to a company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri.
Russian forces attacked a humanitarian aid distribution point in one of the settlements of the Dariivka community in Kherson Oblast. The enemy directed at least three drones at the premises where people were receiving essential supplies. As a result of the strike, a 64-year-old man was killed, and two other local residents, a 79-year-old woman and a 71-year-old man, sustained blast injuries and shrapnel wounds. The injured were hospitalized in moderate condition.
Throughout the day, artillery shelling of Kherson continued. As a result of an attack on one of the city’s hospitals, two people were injured. One of the injured was a hospital medical worker. Kherson was partially left without power.
In Kramatorsk, in Donetsk Oblast, Russian invaders struck the territory of a medical facility, as a result of which a civilian was injured.
During 5 January, the Russian army attacked several districts of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. In the Nikopol district, the enemy used artillery and UAVs against four communities, injuring a child and a 48-year-old woman. The occupiers also directed drones at the Synelnykove area, where a man and an elderly woman were injured, and three houses and a car caught fire due to impacts. In addition, an FPV drone strike was recorded against the Zelenodolsk community of the Kryvyi Rih district.
According to a survey by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology conducted from 26 November to 29 December 2025, Ukraine is seeing a trend toward increased support for holding elections in the event of a ceasefire and the receipt of security guarantees, with this indicator rising from 9 percent in March to 23 percent in December. Despite this, the majority of citizens, 59 percent, continue to believe that elections should take place only after a full victory and the final end of the war.
Only 10 percent of Ukrainians believe that elections should be held before a ceasefire, compared with 11 percent in September. Attitudes toward the timing of elections significantly correlate with the level of trust in President Volodymyr Zelensky. In particular, among those who trust the head of state, the overwhelming majority support holding elections only after peace. By contrast, among citizens who have no trust at all in the president, the demand for a change of power is the highest: 28 percent demand elections in the near future even before the end of hostilities, and 34 percent support holding them after a ceasefire with security guarantees. President Volodymyr Zelensky is trusted by 59 percent of surveyed Ukrainians, while 35 percent do not trust him.