Russia's war on Ukraine. 05.12.24
Operational situation
On the Kursk direction, Russian troops advanced on the southern outskirts of Daryino in the forests near Malaya Loknia and attacked near Martynovka
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked in the area of Nikolaevo-Daryino Dariine and Novoivanovka
On the Kharkiv direction, Russian troops advanced in the direction of Kozacha Lopan, near Hlyboke, Vovchansk, but did not make progress. The enemy is building up complex underground defensive positions up to 10 meters deep to protect against UAV strikes by Ukrainian Defense Forces.
On the Kupyansk direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces pushed the enemy out of recently occupied positions north of Kupyansk.
Russian troops advanced in the areas of Synkivka, Dvorichna, Kucherivka, Petropavlivka, Stelmakhivka, Kolisnykivka, Lozova, Pershotravneve, Zelenyi Hai, Novoyehorivka, Hrekivka, Druzhelyubivka, advanced in the direction of Lozova, and attacked Ukrainian units from several directions in this area.
On the Lyman direction, Russian troops advanced near Terny, Makiivka, Zarichne, and Yampolivka.
On the Kramatorsk direction, Russian troops advanced to the south and within the refractory materials plant in the center of Chasiv Yar, where units of the 98th Airborne Division entered the plant from the southeast and are consolidating their positions. The enemy attacked in Chasiv Yar, near Stupochky, and Bila Hora.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked near Ivanivske and forced Russian troops to retreat from some positions along the H32 Bakhmut–Kostyantynivka highway.
On the Toretsk direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces made minor progress within Toretsk along Ryaboshapka Street.
Russian troops advanced on the northern outskirts of Leonidivka, near the Central Mine and adjacent spoil heaps, captured most of the Zabalka district, and attacked near Nelipivka. The enemy attacks in groups of up to eight individuals, under the cover of smoke screens, and with the support of UAVs and artillery.
On the Pokrovsk direction, Russian troops made some progress towards the northwestern outskirts of Zhovte, towards the outskirts of Zelene and Shevchenkove, captured Novyi Trud, bypassed Novopustynka, are trying to cut the T0515 Pokrovsk–Novotroitske highway, bypassed Lysivka from the south, advancing towards Dachenske, and attacked in the areas of Myrolyubivka, Promin, and Chumatske.
On the Kurakhove direction, the 114th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 51st Combined Arms Army captured Stari Terny and is advancing south towards the western outskirts of Kurakhove and Dachne. The enemy attacked in the area of Sontsivka, Zorya, Novodmytrivka, in Kurakhove, near Berestky, Dachne, Dalnie, Hannivka, Yelyzavetivka, Uspenivka, Sukhi Yaly, advanced southeast of Konstyantynopolske, in the direction of Sukhi Yaly, and captured and is holding positions in Romanivka. The aggressor attacks two logistic routes of the Ukrainian Defense Forces: the Novomykhailivka–Zelenivka road, which passes through Konstyantynopolske and Uspenivka, and the H15 Kurakhove–Zaporizhzhia highway, which runs through Kurakhove and Dachne.
On the Vremivka direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces regained positions on the southeastern outskirts of Rozdolne and pushed the enemy back from the village.
The 37th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 36th Combined Arms Army advanced on the southern outskirts of Blahodatne and east of Makarivka. Russian troops advanced in the area of Novyi Komar, where Ukrainian Defense Forces successfully counterattacked. The enemy is trying to envelop Velyka Novosilka and take fire control of all roads leading to the city, attacking near Rozdolne, Makarivka, and Novodarivka.
On the Orikhiv direction, Russian troops continued their offensive in the area of Robotyne, Novoandriivka, and Novodanylivka but made no progress.
On the Prydniprovskyi direction, Russian troops attacked on Kozatskyi Island, are attempting to capture islands in the Dnipro River Delta, and advance closer to its western bank. The enemy continues to train UAV and assault units of the so-called "Dnipro Flotilla" for amphibious operations using boats in the occupied Kherson and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts. Up to 300 boats have been relocated to the Tendriv Spit in the Kherson region and the Kinburn Spit in the Mykolaiv region. Artillery and air defense systems are concentrated on the Kinburn Spit.
General conclusion:
Attacks in the direction of Konstyantynopolske could complicate Ukrainian defense and the potential withdrawal of Ukrainian units from Uspenivka, Hannivka, and Veselyi Hai.
Since the beginning of the Russian invasion, 48,000 Russian servicemen are considered missing in action.
Change in the line of contact (LoC):
There were 168 combat engagements on various fronts.
On the Kharkiv direction, there were 7 enemy attacks in the areas of Vovchansk, Vysoka Yaruha, Hlyboke, and the enemy actively used bomber aviation.
On the Kupyansk direction, there were 15 Russian attacks. Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled the enemy's assault actions towards Kucherivka, Synkivka, Petropavlivka, Pershotravneve, Zelenyi Hai, and Lozova.
On the Lyman direction, the enemy attacked 14 times, trying to advance near Hrekivka, Druzhelyubivka, Makiivka, Terny, and Zarichne.
On the Toretsk direction, the enemy carried out 4 attacks in the area of Toretsk.
On the Pokrovsk direction, Ukrainian defenders stopped 41 enemy assault and offensive actions towards Myrolyubivka, Promin, Lysivka, Dachenske, Zhovte, Shevchenko, Pushkyne, and Novopustynka. The highest concentration of enemy attacks was near the settlements of Lysivka and Pushkyne.
On the Kurakhove direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 41 enemy assaults. The enemy concentrated its main offensive efforts in the areas of Sontsivka, Berestky, Zorya, Novodmytrivka, Kurakhove, Dalanie, Dachne, Romanivka, Yelyzavetivka, and Uspenivka.
On the Vremivka direction, the enemy carried out 19 assaults near Zelene Pole, Novodarivka, Konstyantynopil, and Sukhi Yaly.
On the Huliaypole and Orikhiv directions, the enemy carried out 4 attacks in the areas of Robotyne, Novodanylivka, and Novoandriivka, all of which were repelled.
On the Prydniprovskyi direction, Russian invaders attacked 5 times, were fiercely repelled, and suffered losses.
On the border with Chernihiv and Sumy Oblasts, the enemy uses artillery and aviation from the territory of the Russian Federation on the areas of Ukrainian towns and villages.
The operation in Kursk Oblast continues. Over the past day, the enemy launched 22 assaults on the positions of Ukrainian Defense Forces and carried out 17 airstrikes.
In the Black Sea-Azov naval operational area, the enemy naval group on combat duty consists of:
Black Sea: 2 ships, including 2 cruise missile carriers; the total salvo is 12 cruise missiles.
Mediterranean Sea: 6 ships, including 4 cruise missile carriers; the total salvo is 41 cruise missiles.
Changes in the enemy disposition:
The 36th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 29th Combined Arms Army operates near Sukhyi Yaly, Yantarne, and the adjacent forest strips. The 1472nd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 68th Army Corps is active northwest of Trudove.
The 5th Separate Tank Brigade of the 36th Combined Arms Army operates northeast of Blahodatne. The 143rd and 394th Motorized Rifle Regiments of the 127th Motorized Rifle Division of the 5th Combined Arms Army are advancing towards Vremivka.
Possible operation situation developments:
On the Kupyansk direction, the enemy will try to break through the "Khortytsia" OSG defense near Kruhlyakivka and advance southward toward Bohuslavka and Nova Kruhlyakivka; attack Lozova and move toward Nova Kruhlyakivka; breach the "Khortytsia" OSG defense at Pershotravneve toward Kopanky and Novoserhiyivka, forcing Ukrainian Defense Forces to retreat from positions near Novoyehorivka under the threat of encirclement.
The enemy activity in the Dvorichna area is likely an attempt to distract attention and draw reserves of the "Khortytsia" OSG’s Kupyansk group to a secondary section ahead of the start of the next phase of the offensive by the 1st Tank Army of the enemy's "Zapad (West)" Operational Grouping on Kupyansk itself. The enemy is attempting to establish a threatening bridgehead, forcing the "Khortytsia" OSG command to allocate resources to eliminate it. Simultaneously, the 2nd Motorized Rifle Division, 4th and 47th Tank Divisions of the 1st Tank Army may launch an offensive from the east, southeast, and south toward Kupyansk, supported by the 25th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade and the 11th Army Corps from positions in Synkivka.
On the Kramatorsk direction, if the enemy manages to advance to the Chervone–Stupochky line and simultaneously begins intensive northward attacks at the junction of its 41st and 51st Armies from the Novooleksandrivka–Arkhanhelske line, reaching the Yablunivka–Oleksandro-Kalynove line on the Toretsk direction, then the "Khortytsia" OSG will be forced to withdraw towards Kostyantynivka. The operational situation is deteriorating, and if it develops negatively, with the loss of the refractory materials plant in Chasiv Yar, it will be lost by the end of December.
The enemy will continue advancing westward along the H15 highway toward Andriivka while simultaneously attacking the Defense Forces' bridgehead northeast of Vuhledar along the Uspenivka–Hannivka–Romanivka line, aiming to force "Tavriya" OSG units to withdraw westward under the threat of encirclement. Such a maneuver could allow Russian forces to seize advantageous tactical positions in this area and align the frontline from Sontsivka to Konstyantynopil, positioning Russian troops approximately 23 km east of the Donetsk–Dnipropetrovsk Oblast border.
By the end of the current year, the enemy will not succeed in seizing the "belt of fortresses" Kostyantynivka – Druzhkivka – Kramatorsk – Sloviansk or occupying Donetsk Oblast. The upcoming battle for Pokrovsk will mark the apex of the enemy’s offensive operation in the Southwestern Theater of Operations in 2024.
The expected sequence of enemy actions for capturing Pokrovsk is as follows: first, the 90th Tank Division of the 41st Combined Arms Army and the 27th Motorized Rifle Division of the 2nd Combined Arms Army will break through to the area south of Pokrovsk. Afterward, the main forces of the 2nd and 41st Combined Arms Armies will advance from the direction of Mykolaivka toward Myrnohrad (via Promin). Another possible maneuver could involve an advance from Hrodivka toward Novoekonomichne, with attempts to break through along the railway directly to Pokrovsk from the direction of Novohrodivka.
The Russian military command is likely to attempt to envelope or bypass Velyka Novosilka and cut off the T0518 highway, creating favorable conditions for further advances toward the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast to envelope Ukrainian Defense Forces in the southwestern part of the Donetsk Oblast. Russian forces may also try to advance toward Andriivka from the south, facilitated by cutting off the T0518 highway.
The enemy's military command in the theater of operations until March 2025 will be creating conditions to achieve the military-political goal of the Special Military Operation: reaching the administrative borders of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts and the junction of Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, and Donetsk Oblasts near the village of Temyrivka.
Russian operational losses from 24.02.22 to 05.12.24
Personnel - almost 748,950 (+1,580);
Tanks 9,506 (+13);
Armored combat vehicles – 19,472 (+22);
Artillery systems – 21,023 (+21);
Multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) – 1,253 (0);
Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 1,020 (0);
Vehicles and fuel tanks – 30,843 (+97);
Aircraft - 369 (0);
Helicopters – 329 (0);
UAV operational and tactical level – 19,977 (+31);
Intercepted cruise missiles – 2,855 (0)
Boats/ships – 29 (0).
Humanitarian + general:
On the night of December 5, 2024 (from 8:00 PM on December 4), Russian forces attacked Ukraine with 2 ballistic "Iskander-M" missiles and 44 Shahed-type strike drones, along with drones of other types. 30 enemy drones were destroyed. Another 12 drones were lost in specific locations, and 1 left Ukraine's airspace in the direction of Belarus. The invaders struck Dnipropetrovsk Oblast with "Iskanders."
The Russian army attacked a civilian vehicle in the Dnipro district of Kherson in the morning. A 53-year-old man was injured.
On the evening of December 5, Russian forces launched a missile strike on Voznesensk in Mykolaiv Oblast, killing a man.
Since February 24, 2022, 1,083 civilians have been blown up by Russian anti-personnel mines in the liberated territories.
Ukraine is searching for 20,000 children who were forcibly deported by Russia. However, the actual number may be much higher. Representatives of the aggressor country refuse to provide exact information, as reported by Darija Zarivna, the advisor to the head of the President’s Office and the operations director of the Bring Kids Back UA initiative.
Since the beginning of 2024, 18 criminal offenses have been recorded in Kyiv Oblast related to arson of Ukrainian military personnel’s vehicles, relay cabinets on railway tracks, and the placement of explosive devices with harmful elements commissioned by Russian special services. This is double the number compared to last year. According to the prosecutor's office, Russian special services involve vulnerable and low-income members of society, including minors, in sabotage activities.
In Ukraine, as a result of the full-scale Russian aggression, 1,222 cultural heritage sites have been damaged, including 43 in November.