Russia’s war on Ukraine. 08.01.26
Operational situation
On the Northern Slobozhansky Direction, Russian forces advanced in the northern part of Yunakivka. The 810th Separate Marine Brigade fought for Andriivka. The occupiers attacked near Varachyne, Bilovody, Oleksiivka, toward Nova Sich, Khrapivshchyna, near Yablunivka and Hrabovske, and toward Krasnopillya. The 34th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 49th Combined Arms Army attempted to advance toward Ryasne.
On the Southern Slobozhansky Direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces advanced on the western outskirts of Vovchanski Khutory and counterattacked from Symynivka.
Russian forces attacked near Zelene, Buhruvatka, Vilcha, Vovchansk, Vovchanski Khutory, Lyman, Starytsia, Prylypky, Tykhe, Milove, Ambarne, and toward Ternuvate and Khatnie. Twenty-five servicemen of the 82nd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 69th Motorized Rifle Division of the 6th Combined Arms Army went missing in forests west of Vovchansk.
On the Kupyansk Direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces control the center of Kupyansk, liberated Nova Kruhlyakivka, and hold positions on the southern outskirts of Bohuslavka.
Russian forces operate on the eastern outskirts of Kupyansk, attempted to advance in Kindrashivka and on the eastern outskirts of Tyshchenkivka, and attacked near Dvorichanske, Kindrashivka, Odradne, Petropavlivka, Stepova Novoselivka, Pishchane, Kurylivka, Borivska Andriivka, Novoyehorivka, Novovodyane, toward Nova Kruhlyakivka, Cherneshchyna, and Novoserhiyivka.
On the Lyman Direction, Russian forces attacked near Derylove, Shandryholove, Serednie, toward Drobysheve, Svyatohirsk, and Stavky, and near Karpivka, Kolodyazi, Myrne, and Zarichne.
On the Sloviansk Direction, Russian forces attacked near Zakitne, Dibrova, Ozerne, Fedorivka, Sviato-Pokrovske, Riznykivka, and Vasyukivka, toward Bondarne.
On the Kostyantynivka Direction, Russian forces attempted to advance in the eastern part of Kostyantynivka, east of Minkivka, north of Mayske, on the northern bank of the Kleban-Byk Reservoir west of Ivanopillya, northeast and north of Yablunivka, and attacked near and within Kostyantynivka, near Chasiv Yar and Novomarkove, toward Mykolaypillya, near Kleban-Byk, Oleksandro-Shultyne, Katerynivka, Pleshchiivka, Ivanopillya, toward Illine and Stepanivka, and near Rusyn Yar and Sofiivka.
On the Pokrovsk Direction, Russian forces attacked toward Kucheriv Yar, near Shakhove, Nove Shakhove, Dorizhne, and Toretske, toward Novyi Donbas, near Zapovidne and Ivanivka, near and within Pokrovsk, near Hryshyne, toward Novooleksandrivka and Bilytske, near Rodynske, Sukhetske, and Krasnyi Lyman, near and within Myrnohrad, near Kotlyne, Udachne, Novopidhorodnie, and Molodetske, fought for Rodynske, and attempted to advance northwest of Pokrovsk.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked near Hryshyne and advanced northwest of Udachne.
On the Oleksandrivka Direction, Russian forces attacked near and within Novopavlivka, near Muravka, Bilyakivka, Novomykolayivka, Dachne, and Filiya, Zelene Hai, Ivanivka, Verbove, Vyshneve, Sichneve, Stepove, Oleksiivka, and Krasnohirske.
On the Huliaypole Direction, Russian forces advanced in the northern part of Huliaypole and attacked near and within Huliaypole, near Pryluky, Zelene, Dobropillya, Varvarivka, Yehorivka, Solodke, Rybne, and Zlahoda.
Ukrainian Defense Forces destroyed enemy infantry groups that infiltrated the rear near Svyatopetrivka, Olenokostyantynivka, Staroukrainka, Pryluky, Varvarivka, Zelene, and near Zalizne.
On the Orikhiv Direction, Russian forces advanced to the center of Novoyakovlivka, in the north of Prymorske, and north of Stepnohirsk, attacked near Bilohirya, Mala Tokmachka, Novodanylivka, Novoandriivka, Stepnohirsk, Plavni, Prymorske, and Lukyanivske, toward Novoyakovlivka, and attempted to break through to Defense Forces positions near Malokaterynivka, moving along the former bed of the Kakhovka Reservoir.
Supporting operation:
Ukrainian Defense Forces struck the Oskolneftesnab oil depot near Kotel, Belgorod Oblast, the Temp oil depot near Rybinsk, Yaroslavl Oblast, fuel and lubricant and material and technical supply depots near Sorokine, Luhansk Oblast, depots of the 20th Motorized Rifle Division of the 8th Combined Arms Army, a concentration area in Selydove, the forward command post of the 76th Air Assault Division in Hirnyk, Donetsk Oblast, an ammunition depot in Novokazanovate, logistics hubs in Khliborobne and Sofiivka, and an ammunition depot in Mizhyhiria, Autonomous Republic of Crimea.
General conclusion:
On the Siversk Direction, Russian forces have intensified offensive actions from the Serebriansk Forest and from areas near Dronivka, attempt to cross the Siverskyi Donets River under fog cover in groups of 4–5 servicemen using rubber boats from Platonivka, and attempt to move supplies through the Serebriansk Forest in small groups to bypass Dronivka.
On the Pokrovsk Direction, Russian logistics are under fire control of Ukrainian Defense Forces. Russian forces can safely use vehicles only at a distance of 5–7 km from the front line.
Change in the line of contact (LoC), directions of attacks and counterattacks:
There were 275 combat engagements on various fronts.
On the Northern Slobozhansky and Kursk Directions, the enemy conducted 3 attacks.
On the Southern Slobozhansky Direction, 15 enemy attacks were repelled in the areas of Vovchanski Khutory, Vovchansk, Starytsia, Zelene, and Tykhe, and toward Vilcha, Ternove, and Kutkivka.
On the Kupyansk Direction, 14 enemy attacks occurred. Enemy assault actions were repelled in the areas of Stepova Novoselivka, Pishchane, and Borivska Andriivka, and toward Nova Kruhlyakivka and Kupyansk.
On the Lyman Direction, the enemy attacked 18 times, attempting to penetrate the Ukrainian defense near Novoyehorivka, Novovodyane, Derylove, Kolodyazi, Zarichne, Myrne, and Shandryholove.
On the Sloviansk Direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 5 enemy attacks near Siversk and toward Pazeno.
On the Kostyantynivka Direction, the enemy attacked 31 times in the areas of Vasyukivka, Minkivka, Chasiv Yar, Bondarne, Kostyantynivka, Oleksandro-Shultyne, Kleban-Byk, and Yablunivka, and toward Sofiivka.
On the Pokrovsk direction, 77 enemy assault actions were repelled in the areas of Shakhove, Nykanorivka, Fedorivka, Dorizhne, Rodynske, Myrnohrad, Pokrovsk, Udachne, and Molodetske, and toward Novopavlivka and Filiya.
On the Oleksandrivka direction, the enemy conducted 15 attacks in the areas of Zelenyi Hai, Oleksandrohrad, Sichneve, Stepove, Vyshneve, Verbove, Krasnohirske, Rybne, and Yehorivka.
On the Huliaypole Direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 40 Russian attacks in the areas of Dobropillya, Solodke, Varvarivka, Zelene, Huliaypole, and Bilohirya.
On the Orikhiv Direction, the enemy made 6 attempts to break through the Ukrainian defense toward Stepnohirsk and Prymorske.
On the Prydniprovske Direction, the enemy made three unsuccessful attempts to approach Ukrainian defensive positions.
Changes in the enemy disposition:
The 1st Battalion of the 349th Motorized Rifle Regiment operates near Velyka Berezka, while the 34th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 49th Combined Arms Army operates west of Hrabovske.
The 2nd Motorized Rifle Division of the 1st Tank Army strikes Ukrainian forces south of Nova Kruhlyakivka.
Units of the “Rubikon” Center for Advanced Unmanned Technologies strike Ukrainian positions in Kalenyky and Kryva Luka.
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 strike Ukrainian positions near Kostyantynivka, while the 20th Motorized Rifle Division of the 8th Combined Arms Army operates west and southwest of Druzhkivka.
The 5th Separate Tank Brigade of the 36th Combined Arms Army strikes Ukrainian vehicles in Ternuvate.
The 108th Air Assault Regiment of the 7th Air Assault Division operates in Prymorske.
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/envelop 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 08.01.26
Personnel - almost 1,215 900 (+1,400);
Tanks – 11,521 (+6);
Armored combat vehicles ‒ 23,874 (+9);
Artillery systems – 35,874 (+17);
Multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) – 1,596 (+1);
Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 1,269 (0);
Vehicles and fuel tanks – 73,336 (+112);
Aircraft - 434 (0);
Helicopters – 347 (0);
UAV operational and tactical level – 102,074 (+225);
Intercepted cruise and other missiles – 4,137 (0);
Boats/ships – 30 (0).
Humanitarian + general:
On the night of 8 January, Russian forces attacked eastern and southern Ukraine with 97 unmanned aerial vehicles, including about 70 Shahed-type strike UAVs, with the remainder consisting of Gerbera UAVs and drones of other types. Ukrainian Air defense forces managed to shoot down or suppress 70 enemy devices; at the same time, impacts by 27 strike UAVs were recorded at 13 locations, and debris fell at one location.
At around 06:30 on Thursday, Russian military personnel shelled the Dniprovskyi District of Kherson, injuring four people: two women aged 44 and 39 and two men aged 33 and 47. All of the injured sustained blast injuries and concussions and were hospitalized in moderate condition.
On Thursday, Russian military personnel carried out two attacks on Kherson Oblast, resulting in four people killed and four wounded. At around 11:30, the occupiers dropped an explosive from a UAV on a vehicle near the village of Tarasa Shevchenka, killing a 63-year-old man and injuring two passengers. At 12:30, they shelled a café in the center of Kherson. The strike on the establishment killed two men at the scene and a 57-year-old resident of Kherson who later died in hospital from severe injuries, while two other injured individuals remain under medical supervision.
At approximately 17:00 on 8 January, Russian forces struck apartment buildings in Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, with two Iskander missiles. As of 19:00, 10 injured people were reported. One injured 57-year-old is in serious condition.
On 7 January, the Russian army attacked critical infrastructure in eastern Ukraine, which led to an almost complete blackout in Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts and the introduction of emergency power outages. In Dnipro and some settlements, problems with water supply emerged, while in Zaporizhzhia Oblast mobile communications operated in emergency mode with limited battery resources. Critical infrastructure, cogeneration facilities, and rail transport were switched to backup power and thermal traction; in Zaporizhzhia, water supply was ensured using alternative sources, while restoration work to restore heat and water supply continues in Dnipro.
As of the morning of 8 January, boiler houses in Zaporizhzhia Oblast were powered and their reconnection from generators to centralized networks was completed, and after a seven-hour blackout caused by the Russian attack, electricity supply was fully restored. In schools in Dnipro, holidays were extended for another two days. Dnipro Mayor Borys Filatov reported that after the Russian attack, a national-level emergency situation developed in the city: power engineers are gradually restoring electricity supply to hospitals, the left bank is being maintained on alternative power, and work to restore heat and water supply continues.
Due to a massive drone attack, the Zaporizhstal plant lost external power supply and suspended production processes.
As of 13:00 on Thursday, 200,000 consumers in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast who were left without power as a result of the massive attack on 7 January have been reconnected. At the same time, 600,000 consumers remain without electricity.