Russia’s war on Ukraine. 09.01.26
Operational situation
On the Northern Slobozhansky Direction, Russian forces have advanced southwest of Yablunivka, attempted to advance southeast of Andriivka, and attacked near Ryzhivka, Oleksiivka, Kindrativka, Yunakivka, Vysoke, and Hrabovske. The enemy carried out an assault between Andriivka and Oleksiivka, during which five enemy assault groups unsuccessfully attempted to infiltrate Ukrainian defenses through a gas pipeline.
On the Southern Slobozhansky Direction, Russian forces advanced in Lyman and Vovchanski Khutory and conducted offensive actions near Zelene, Buhruvatka, Vilcha, Vovchansk, Starytsia, Tykhe, Milove, Khatnie, and Ambarne, in the direction of Ternove and Hrafske.
On the Kupyansk Direction, enemy groups infiltrated the eastern outskirts of Podoly. The enemy attempted to advance southeast of Pishchane and attacked near Kupyansk, Dvorichanske, Kindrashivka, in the direction of Kutkivka, near Fyholivka, Tyshchenkivka, Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi, Stepova Novoselivka, Borivska Andriivka, Bohuslavka, in the direction of Nova Kruhlyakivka, and near Novoyehorivka and Novovodyane.
Ukrainian Defense Forces operate south of Zahryzove and advanced near Nova Kruhlyakivka.
On the Lyman Direction, Russian forces attempted to advance north and south of Lyman, northeast and southwest of Korovyi Yar, toward the northeastern outskirts of Svyatohirsk, and attacked near Derylove, Shandryholove, in the direction of Drobysheve, and near Stavky, Kolodyazi, Myrne, and Zarichne.
On the Sloviansk Direction, Russian forces attacked near Siversk, Zakitne, Dibrova, Pazeno, and Vasyukivka, in the direction of Riznykivka and Bondarne.
On the Kostyantynivka Direction, Russian forces operated on the eastern outskirts of Kostyantynivka, fought for Novomarkove and Sofiivka, and attacked near and inside Kostyantynivka, near Chasiv Yar, Minkivka, Kleban-Byk, Oleksandro-Shultyne, Pleshchiivka, Ivanopillya, and Yablunivka, in the direction of Illinivka, and near Rusyn Yar.
Ukrainian Defense Forces operate south of Kostyantynivka.
On the Pokrovsk Direction, Russian forces attempted to advance west of Rodynske and attacked near Shakhove, Nove Shakhove, Dorizhne, Zaporizhzhia, Ivanivka, near and inside Pokrovsk, Hryshyne, Rodynske, Chervonyi Lyman, and Fedorivka, near and within Myrnohrad, and near Kotlyne, Udachne, and Molodetske.
Ukrainian Defense Forces control the northern part of Myrnohrad, although the enemy is trying to consolidate on the eastern outskirts of the city.
On the Oleksandrivka Direction, Russian forces attempted to advance east of Novopavlivka, north of Vidradne, attacked near Dachne, Filiya, Zelenyi Hai, Oleksandrohrad, Sichneve, Stepove, Verbove, Krasnohirske, Vyshneve.
On the Huliaypole Direction, the 36th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 29th Combined Arms Army attempted to break through to the center of Bratske. The occupiers attempted to advance east of Bratske, northeast of Zaliznychne, northwest of Dorozhanka, attacked near and inside Huliaypole, near Zelene, Dobropillya, Yehorivka, Varvarivka, Solodke, Zlahoda, Rybne, Dorozhanka, in the direction of Zaliznychne.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked west of Huliaypole.
On the Orikhiv Direction, Russian forces have advanced northeast of Stepnohirsk, northeast of Prymorske, attacked near Bilohirya, Pavlivka, Lukyanivske, in the direction of Richne, Novoyakovlivka, Novoboykivske, Magdalynivka.
The Defense Forces counterattacked near Prymorske.
On the Prydniprovske Direction, Russian forces attacked near the Antonivskyi Bridge and on Quarantine Island.
Supporting operation:
Ukrainian Defense Forces struck with drones at the Luch TPP in Belgorod, the TPP in Orel, the special forces university in Gudermes, Chechen Republic, hit a fuel and lubricants echelon at the Hvardiiske oil depot in Crimea, a warehouse with ammunition and supplies near Hirne, and energy infrastructure facilities in Khartsyzk, Donetsk Oblast.
The Russian Freedom Legion carried out sabotage and destroyed 15 KamAZ, Ural, and ZiL trucks of the 350th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 69th Motorized Rifle Division, 6th Combined Arms Army, in Kuchugury, Belgorod Oblast.
General conclusion:
On the Kupyansk Direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces complete the clearance of the city. The enemy continues to use small-group infiltration tactics and disguises itself in civilian clothing.
On the Kostyantynivka Direction, the range of enemy UAVs increased significantly in 2025, which complicates maneuvering by Ukrainian Defense Forces near Kostyantynivka. The enemy attempts to disrupt Ukrainian logistics using UAVs, but adverse weather conditions hinder these efforts.
On the Pokrovsk Direction, Russian forces advance toward Hryshyne and Rodynske and conduct assaults in an attempt to cut logistics to Pokrovsk. The enemy has not conducted significant assaults near Myrnohrad since early January 2026, although combat operations there involve 12 military units of the 51st Combined Arms Army. Support and sustainment personnel of the enemy’s 76th Air Assault Division have a low level of training, while combat unit personnel involved in urban fighting are well trained. Russian forces continue to use infiltration tactics and quad bikes. The enemy focuses on capturing Bilytske and advances toward Dobropillya.
On the Oleksandrivka Direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled an enemy assault.
During an airstrike on Lviv Oblast, the enemy used a missile traveling at a speed of 13,000 km/h.
Change in the line of contact (LoC), directions of attacks and counterattacks:
There were 161 combat engagements on various fronts.
On the Northern Slobozhansky and Kursk Directions, three engagements took place.
On the Southern Slobozhansky Direction, six enemy attacks were stopped in the areas of Buhruvatka, Vilcha, and Fyholivka.
On the Kupyansk Direction, six enemy attacks occurred. Assault actions toward Kupyansk, Kurylivka, Petropavlivka, and Nova Kruhlyakivka were repelled.
On the Lyman Direction, the enemy attacked 10 times, attempting to penetrate the Ukrainian defenses near Drobysheve, Lyman, Stavky, and in the area of Novoselivka.
On the Sloviansk Direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled four enemy attacks near Siversk, Dronivka, and Fedorivka.
On the Kostyantynivka Direction, the enemy carried out 18 attacks in the areas of Kostyantynivka, Oleksandro-Shultyne, Pleshchiivka, Ivanopillya, Rusyn Yar, Sofiivka, and in the direction of Stepanivka.
On the Pokrovsk direction, 33 enemy assaults were stopped in Nykanorivka, Chervonyi Lyman, Rodynske, Myrnohrad, Pokrovsk, Kotlyne, Udachne, Molodetske, Filiya, and Dachne.
On the Oleksandrivka direction, the enemy carried out 13 attacks near Verbove, Vyshneve, Zlahoda, Rybne, Yehorivka, Sichneve, and in the directions of Ivanivka and Oleksandrohrad.
On the Huliaypole Direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 21 Russian attacks near Solodke, Huliaypole, and Varvarivka.
On the Orikhiv Direction, the enemy attack was repelled near Mali Shcherbaky.
On the Prydniprovske Direction, Ukrainian units repelled three Russian attacks toward the Antonivskyi Bridge.
Changes in the enemy disposition:
The 810th Separate Marine Brigade of the Black Sea Fleet operates south of Oleksiivka.
The 1st Tank Regiment of the 2nd Motorized Rifle Division of the 1st Tank Army strikes Ukrainian positions south of Zahryzove.
The 136th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 58th Combined Arms Army strikes Ukrainian forces in northern Oleksiyevo-Druzhkivka; 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 68th Separate Reconnaissance Battalion of the 20th Motorized Rifle Division and the 238th Artillery Brigade of the 8th Combined Arms Army operate near Novoselivka and Novopavlivka; the 33rd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 20th Motorized Rifle Division operates near Toretske; the 61st Separate Marine Brigade of the Northern Fleet operates near Shakhove.
The 9th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 51st Combined Arms Army operates west of Rodynske; the 27th Motorized Rifle Division of the 2nd Combined Arms Army operates north of Pokrovsk and in the direction of Hryshyne.
The 57th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 5th Combined Arms Army operates in the southwestern part of Huliaypole.
The 19th Motorized Rifle Division of the 58th Combined Arms Army strikes Ukrainian positions near Orikhiv; the 108th Air Assault Regiment of the 7th Air Assault Division operates near Prymorske; the 247th Air Assault Regiment of the division operates near Stepnohirsk; the 328th Air Assault Regiment of the 104th Air Assault Division and the 11th Separate Air Assault Brigade operate near Lukyanivske.
The 98th Airborne Division operates in the direction of Kakhovka.
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 09.01.26
Personnel - almost 1,216 930 (+1,030);
Tanks – 11,526 (+5);
Armored combat vehicles ‒ 23,882 (+8);
Artillery systems – 35,892 (+18);
Multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) – 1,596 (0);
Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 1,269 (0);
Vehicles and fuel tanks – 73,426 (+90);
Aircraft - 434 (0);
Helicopters – 347 (0);
UAV operational and tactical level – 102,761 (+687);
Intercepted cruise and other missiles – 4,137 (0);
Boats/ships – 30 (0).
Humanitarian + general:
On the night of 9 January, Russian forces carried out a large-scale combined attack on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure, employing 278 aerial attack assets, including 242 UAVs (around 150 of them Shaheds), 22 Kalibr cruise missiles, 13 Iskander-M/S-400 ballistic missiles, and one medium-range ballistic missile, with the main strike concentrated on Kyiv Oblast. According to the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as of 09:00 air defense assets had shot down or suppressed 244 targets: 226 Shahed- and Gerbera-type UAVs, 10 Kalibr missiles, and 8 Iskander-M/S-400 missiles. Despite air defense operations, 18 missiles and 16 strike drones hit 19 locations. Launches were carried out from the Black Sea and several regions of the Russian Federation, including the Kapustin Yar test range, from which the medium-range missile was launched.
On 8 January at 23:47, the enemy carried out a missile strike on infrastructure facilities in Lviv, using a ballistic missile. The aerial target was traveling at a speed of about 13,000 kilometers per hour along a ballistic trajectory. The military stated that the type of missile used to strike the city would be determined after examining all of its components. Later, the Security Service of Ukraine reported that it had established the location of fragments of the Russian ballistic missile used to strike Lviv Oblast on the night of 9 January. According to preliminary information, the identified components belong to the Oreshnik missile system.
As a result of the large-scale UAV attack on Kyiv, impacts were recorded in several districts, resulting in four fatalities and 25 people injured. Critical infrastructure in the capital was damaged, causing disruptions to electricity and water supply, and significant destruction was recorded: fires in high-rise residential buildings in the Darnytskyi and Dniprovskyi districts, a fire at a shopping center in the Desnianskyi district, and destruction of the upper floors of a 24-story building in the Pecherskyi district. Fourteen of the injured were hospitalized, while others received assistance on site, and emergency response operations are ongoing in the city.
The targets of the Russian attack included all of Kyiv’s combined heat and power plants and a significant number of substations. The Kyivteploenergo heating company is working to restore heat supply, but in areas on the right bank where heating is absent, restoration will be more complicated. As of 17:30 on 9 January, heating had been restored to residents of 1,083 residential buildings in the Podilskyi, Obolonskyi, and Darnytskyi districts. Slightly fewer than 5,000 multi-story buildings remain without heat supply.
During the massive nighttime attack on Kyiv, a repeated UAV strike hit a residential building in the Darnytskyi district while emergency services were already working at the site. According to Mayor Vitalii Klitschko, one medic was killed as a result of the strike, and four other medical workers who had arrived to provide assistance were wounded. The deceased, Serhii Smoliak, was 56 years old. For more than a quarter of a century, he worked as a senior emergency medical technician in Kakhovka, in Kherson Oblast. The city is currently under the Russian occupation.
As a result of UAV strikes on residential areas of Kyiv Oblast, five people were injured, and a family with a five-year-old child was rescued from the rubble. In addition, Russian forces carried out a missile strike on critical infrastructure, deliberately targeting district boiler houses, which Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko described as an attempt to turn winter into a weapon and an act of energy terror. In the Oblast, 370,000 consumers are without electricity.
In Kyiv, emergency power outages were introduced due to the consequences of the large-scale attack and network overloads. Due to a combination of weather conditions and the effects of the nighttime shelling, the power system became unstable and cannot withstand the load. Currently, more than 417,000 customers remain without electricity, with the most difficult situation observed on the left bank of the capital.
As a result of Russian shelling of Kherson, the territory of one of the city’s hospitals in the Dniprovskyi district came under attack, with a strike damaging one of its departments. Two female medical workers were injured.
In the morning, Russian forces carried out a guided aerial bomb strike on Hryhorivske in Zaporizhzhia district. As a result of the attack, one person was injured. One private house was partially destroyed, and several other homes sustained damage from the blast wave and debris.
In Chernihiv Oblast, more than 60,000 subscribers were left without electricity due to severe weather and shelling.
During the daytime on 9 January, while en route to the port of Chornomorsk, a Russian strike UAV hit a civilian vessel flying the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis that was heading to load grain. The vessel remains operational, but there are preliminary reports of casualties. In addition, near the port of Odesa, a vessel flying the flag of the Comoros and carrying soybeans was struck, resulting in the death of a crew member, a citizen of Syria. Rescue units were dispatched to the scene.
As a result of the missile attack on Kryvyi Rih on 8 January, a 77-year-old woman was killed, and the total number of injured rose to 23, including six children and two men in serious and extremely serious condition. The strike damaged an administrative building, 21 vehicles, and 29 apartment buildings. At the same time, restoration work in the city’s power system is ongoing: as of 24:00 on 8 January, more than 83,000 consumers had already had power restored after the outage, while more than 77,000 still remained without electricity.
In temporarily occupied Henichesk in Kherson Oblast, Russian security forces are conducting another round of searches, the third since the beginning of the year. This was reported by the Yellow Ribbon resistance movement. Activists noted that the purpose of the checks and the specific objects of the search currently remain unknown.