Russia's war on Ukraine. 07.12.24
Operational situation
On the Kursk direction, Russian forces have entrenched along the Psel River and entered Plekhovo. Airborne units are attempting to dislodge Ukrainian Defense Forces from Martynovka.
The "Siversk" OTG units counterattacked in the areas of Novoivanovka and Daryino, capturing 11 servicemen of the 11th Separate Air Assault Brigade as prisoners of war. Ukrainian Defense Forces conducted an airstrike with three UAVs on the headquarters of the 3rd Motorized Rifle Division of the 20th Army in Boguchar, Voronezh region.
On the Kharkiv direction, Russian forces are attempting to advance in Vovchansk and have launched attacks towards Kozacha Lopan, Vysoka Yaruha, Veterynarne, and near Lyptsi and Tykhe.
"Kharkiv" OTG units counterattacked in Vovchansk and near Starytsia.
On the Kupyansk direction, Russian forces tried to advance on the western outskirts of Hlushkivka, southeast of Kruhlyakivka, west of Pershotravneve. They crossed the Oskil River near Kupyansk and captured two bridgeheads on its western bank. They continued assaults near Zakhidne, Synkivka, Nova Kruhlyakivka, Kruhlyakivka, Zahryzove, Kolisnykivka, Nadiya, Kopanka, Lozova, Zelenyi Hai, Hrekivka, Novoyehorivka, Cherneshchyna, and Druzhelyubivka. The occupiers use electric scooters, motorcycles, and all-terrain vehicles (quad bikes) to cross minefields, while rarely using heavy combat equipment.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattack and drive Russian forces from positions near Kupyansk.
On the Lyman direction, Russian forces advanced near Makiivka, Terny, Yampolivka, Zarichne, Torske, in the Serebriansk Forest area, and near Bilohorivka.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked near Torske and Terny.
On the Kramatorsk direction, Russian forces attacked near the refractory materials plant in the center of Chasiv Yar, as well as near Stupochky, Predtechyne, and Bila Hora. The enemy controls 28% of Chasiv Yar.
On the Toretsk direction, Russian forces made slight advances along Shakhtariv and Haidara Streets on the southern outskirts of the Zabalka district in southern Toretsk. They also launched attacks near Nelipivka, Dyliivka, and Shcherbynivka.
Ukrainian Defense Forces successfully counterattacked in the Nelipivka area.
On the Pokrovsk direction, Russian forces captured Novopustynka, Petrivka, and Pustynka. They advanced to the southern outskirts of Shevchenkove, south and west of Novopustynka, and south of Pushkyne. The enemy attacks Novotroitske and attempts to encircle Shevchenkove from the east, advancing along the railway line.
Fighting continued near Myrolyubivka, Promin, Lysivka, Zhovte, Chumatske, Dachenske, Pushkyne, Shevchenkove, Novopustynka, and Novotroitske.
On the Kurakhove direction, fighting is ongoing in Kurakhove, near Berestky, Zoria, Stari Terny, Sontsivka, Dalnie, Dachne, Rozdolne, Rozlyv, Makarivka, Uspenivka, and Konstyantynopolske. Russian forces advanced west of Stari Terny, northwest of Vuhledar, north of Uspenivka, and reached the H15 Kurakhove–Zaporizhzhia highway. There is a threat of encirclement of Defense Forces units south of Kurakhove. Tactical successes of Russian forces in Pushkyne and Zorya contribute to the displacement of Ukrainian Defense Force units from Sontsivka.
On the Vremivka direction, Russian forces continued their offensive in the Velyka Novosilka area, advancing west and southeast of Rivnopil, near Velyka Novosilka, and towards its eastern and southeastern outskirts. Troops of the 5th Army improved their positions on the western outskirts of Velyka Novosilka. The enemy attacked near Novyi Komar, Rozdolne, Makarivka, Novodarivka, and Novosilka.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked near Novyi Komar and Rozdolne.
On the Orikhiv direction, Russian forces attacked in the Novodanylivka area but did not advance.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked near Mala Tokmachka.
General conclusion:
The enemy on the Kurakhove direction is attempting to encircle Ukrainian Defense Forces in the area of the Sukhi Yaly River near Uspenivka, with only a narrow corridor up to 2 km wide remaining for retreat via Vesely Hai and Hannivka.
The Russian military command is considering the possibility of redeploying troops north of the Sukhi Yaly River to capture Velyka Novosilka.
Limited resources force the enemy's "Vostok (Easte)" Operational Grouping to attempt to capture Velyka Novosilka through an encirclement operation.
Change in the line of contact (LoC):
There were 177 combat engagements on various fronts.
On the Kharkiv direction, the occupiers launched 5 assaults on Ukrainian unit positions near Vovchansk, Tykhe, and towards Vysoka Yaruha and Kozacha Lopan but were repelled.
On the Kupyansk direction, there were 9 combat engagements, particularly near Kolisnykivka, Lozova, Zahryzove, and Zapadne.
On the Lyman direction, the enemy attacked 14 times near Cherneshchyna, Hrekivka, Kopanky, Nadiya, Makiivka, Torske, and Terny.
On the Kramatorsk direction, 5 combat engagements occurred near Bila Hora and Stupochky.
On the Toretsk direction, Russian forces launched 9 attacks near Toretsk, Dyliivka, and Shcherbynivka.
On the Pokrovsk direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 48 enemy assaults in the areas of Myrolyubivka, Promin, Lysivka, Zhovte, and Chumatske.
On the Kurakhove direction, 35 attacks took place near Stari Terny, Zoria, Sontsivka, Kurakhove, Dachne, and Dalnie.
On the Vremivka direction, Ukrainian defenders repelled 21 assaults near the settlements of Uspenivka, Konstyantynopolske, Rozdolne, Novodarivka, and Novosilka.
On the Orikhiv direction, an attempted attack in the direction of Novodanylivka ended in failure for the invaders.
On the Prydniprovskyi direction, while attacking Ukrainian defensive lines the enemy suffered three defeats.
In Kursk Oblast, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 14 attacks by Russian invaders.
In the Black Sea-Azov naval operational area, the enemy naval group on combat duty consists of:
Black Sea: 1 ship, including 1 cruise missile carrier; the total salvo is 0 cruise missiles.
Mediterranean Sea: 1 ship, including 1 cruise missile carriers; the total salvo is 16 cruise missiles.
The Russian Armed Forces Navy has withdrawn all its ships from the Tartus naval base in Syria: the frigate "Admiral Grigorovich," the submarine "Novorossiysk," the frigates "Admiral Gorshkov" and "Admiral Golovko," and the tankers "Vyazma" and "Yelnya."
Changes in the enemy disposition:
The 204th Separate SOF Regiment "Akhmat" of the 3rd Combined Arms Army is engaged in combat near Strilecha.
On the Pokrovsk direction, the 27th Motorized Rifle Division of the 2nd Combined Arms Army operates west of Selydove and Tsukuryne.
The 37th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 36th Combined Arms Army and the 36th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 29th Combined Arms Army operate near Konstyantynopolske and Sukhi Yaly, while the 39th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 68th Army Corps operates near Uspenivka and Hannivka.
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.
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.
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 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 07.12.24
Personnel - almost 751,910 (+1,300);
Tanks 9,514 (0);
Armored combat vehicles – 19,535 (+17);
Artillery systems – 21,055 (+12);
Multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) – 1,253 (0);
Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 1,022 (+2);
Vehicles and fuel tanks – 30,948 (+49);
Aircraft - 369 (0);
Helicopters – 329 (0);
UAV operational and tactical level – 20,042 (+19);
Intercepted cruise missiles – 2,857 (0)
Boats/ships – 29 (0).
Humanitarian + general:
On the night of December 7, 7 out of 14 enemy UAVs launched by Russia were shot down over Ukraine, six drones were lost, and one flew towards Russia.
On the morning of December 7, Russian occupiers shelled the Prymorskyi and Vasylivskyi districts of Zaporizhzhia Oblast with artillery. As a result of the shelling, a private house was destroyed, and a 65-year-old homeowner was killed.
Among the 10 people killed in the strike on Zaporizhzhia on December 6, two were children, according to identification results. The number of injured has risen to 27. The enemy struck a busy area where people were simply returning home on Friday evening. Currently, 13 victims remain in the hospital, including three children. Their condition is assessed by doctors as moderate. Three men are in serious condition.
Over the past day, Russian forces carried out 34 shelling attacks on Sumy Oblast. One community was shelled with cluster munitions from multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS), wounding a civilian. A total of 148 explosions were recorded.
On Friday, three FPV drones struck the premises of a coal enterprise located in the village of Kotlyne in the Pokrovsk community of Donetsk Oblast, leaving 2 people injured.
Due to Russian aggression in Kherson Oblast from December 6 to 7, at least 17 people were injured, including one child.
Ukraine has so far managed to return 1,029 Ukrainian children from Russia, according to Dmytro Lubinets, the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights.
Recently, there have been more recorded cases of Ukrainian soldiers being executed by Russian invaders, according to Dmytro Lubinets. He stated that Ukrainian soldiers fulfilled all the conditions to be considered prisoners of war. They laid down their weapons and demonstrated that they were no longer engaged in combat. Typically, Russian forces force them to lie on the ground and then execute them at close range. Previously, this information was mainly obtained from intelligence agencies, but with the growing use of drones on the battlefield, more videos of such crimes have been recorded