Russia’s war on Ukraine. 13.12.25
Operational situation
On the Northen Slobozhanske Direction, Russian forces attempted to advance toward Andriivka, attacking near Oleksiivka and Yunakivka.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked near Andriivka and Oleksiivka.
On the Southern Slobozhansky direction, Russian forces attacked near Vovchansk, Synelnykove, Prylipka, Vovchanski Khutory, Vilcha, in the direction of Okhrymivka, Izbytske, and near Kolodyazne.
On the Kupyansk direction, the 13th Separate Brigade of Operative Purpose of the 2nd Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine “Khartiya,” the 144th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade, the 92nd Separate Rifle Brigade, the 475th Separate Artillery Brigade, with support from the Foreign Legion, Defense Intelligence, Security Service of Ukraine, Special Operations Forces, and the National Police, carried out a sudden strike to liberate Radkivka, Kindrashivka, took control of Holubivka by fire, and then began clearing Myrne and the northwestern outskirts of Kupyansk. Fighting continues in the city center. The situation has been stabilized. The forces have reached the Oskil River, completely cutting off enemy supply routes to Kupyansk. Over 200 occupiers are currently surrounded in the city, and all their attempts to break out of the encirclement are being repelled.
The 272nd Motorized Rifle Regiment and the 153rd Tank Battalion of the 47th Tank Division of the 1st Tank Army fought for Kurylivka. Russian forces attacked near Kucherivka, Petropavlivka, Pishchane, Stepova Novoselivka, Nova Kruhlyakivka, Karmazynivka, Druzhelyubivka, Novoyehorivka, Hrekivka, and in the direction of Novoserhiyivka.
On the Lyman direction, Russian forces attacked near Lyman, Derylove, Yarova, Novoselivka, Drobysheve, in the direction of Oleksandrivka, Svyatohirsk, near Stavky, Novyi Myr, Kolodyazi, Serednie, and near Zarichne.
On the Sloviansk direction, Russian forces attempted to advance southwest of Siversk, north of Sviato-Pokrovsk, attacking near Siversk, Zakitne, Platonivka, Dronivka, Serebrianka, Pereyizne, and Sviato-Pokrovsk.
On the Kostyantynivka direction, Russian forces advanced in the southeastern part of Kostyantynivka and in the eastern part of Oleksandro-Shultyne, northeast and on the western outskirts of Ivanopillya, attacking near Kostyantynivka, Virolyubivka, in the direction of Pryvillya, Minkivka, near Shcherbynivka, Pleshchiivka, Yablunivka, in the direction of Stepanivka, near Rusyn Yar, Sofiivka.
On the Pokrovsk direction, Russian forces attacked near Shakhove, Nove Shakhove, in the direction of Novyi Donbas, Toretsk, Zaporizhzhia, Dorizhne, near and within Pokrovsk, near Hryshyne, Rodynske, in the direction of Bilytske, near and within Myrnohrad and Svitle, near and within Kotlyne, Udachne, and Molodetske.
Ukrainian Defense Forces broke through to the Dinas neighborhood in the northeastern part of Pokrovsk. Units of the Russian Freedom Legion conducted reconnaissance and sabotage actions between Pishchane, Shevchenkove, and Novotroitske.
On the Oleksandrivka direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces advanced on the eastern outskirts of Orestopil, north of Ivanivka.
Russian forces attacked near Zelenyi Hai, Oleksandrhrad, Verbove, Vyshneve, Oleksiivka, Sichneve, Krasnohirske, and Vorone.
On the Huliaypole Direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces operate northeast of Varvarivka, counterattack from Kosivtseve.
Russian forces attacked near and inside Huliaypole, near Dobropillya, Varvarivka, in the direction of Andriivka, Herasymivka, near Solodke, Pryvillya, Pryvilne, and Rybne.
On the Orikhiv direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces operate along the T0408 highway between Orikhiv and Robotyne, to the north of Novodanylivka.
Russian forces attacked near Mala Tokmachka, Novoandriivka, Stepove, Stepnohirsk, and Prymorske.
On the Prydniprovske Direction, Russian forces attacked near the Antonivskyi Bridge, attempting to establish positions on the islands in the Dnipro Delta, striking the western bank of the Dnipro.
General conclusion:
Recent statements by the President of Russia confirm the intention to create a buffer zone in Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts, which could lead to an intensification of attacks in these areas.
On the Southern Slobozhansky direction, Russian forces continue to use poor weather conditions for infiltrating small groups into the Ukrainian rear, using unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) for logistics, but rarely using UGVs for evacuating the wounded, as Russian military command is indifferent to the lives of its soldiers.
In Siversk, enemy infantry groups operate with a total strength of 50-60 personnel, and fighting continues in the city.
On the Huliaypole direction, Russian forces are trying to attack Huliaypole both with infantry groups from the front and flanks, combining infiltration and frontal attacks. The enemy wears civilian clothing.
Change in the line of contact (LoC), directions of attacks and counterattacks:
There were 178 combat engagements on various fronts.
On the Southern Slobozhansky and Kursk directions, 5 enemy attacks were repelled near Vovchansk, Synelnykove, Kolodyazne, Dvorichanske, and in the direction of Kolodyazne.
On the Kupyansk Direction, 5 Russian attacks took place. The enemy’s assault actions were repelled in the areas of Pishchane, Nova Kruhlyakivka, and in the direction of Kurylivka and Kupyansk.
On the Lyman direction, the enemy attacked 25 times, attempting to break through the Ukrainian defense in the areas of Serednie, Zarichne, Drobysheve, and in the direction of Druzhelyubivka, Novoserhiyivka, Novyi Myr, Stavky, Oleksandrivka, Novoselivka, Lyman, and Chervonyi Stav.
On the Sloviansk direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 7 attacks by the enemy in the areas of Torske, Siversk, Serebrianka, Pereyizne, and Yampil.
On the Kostyantynivka direction, the enemy launched 30 attacks in the areas of Chasiv Yar, Shcherbynivka, Pleshchiivka, Oleksandro-Shultyne, Yablunivka, Rusyn Yar, and in the directions of Pryvillya, Minkivka, Kostyantynivka, Ivanopillya, Stepanivka, Sofiivka.
On the Pokrovsk direction, 42 Russian assault actions were stopped in the areas of Rodynske, Pokrovsk, Nykanorivka, Kotlyne, Udachne, Novomykolayivka, Filya, and in the direction of Dorizhne, Bilytske, Myrnohrad, Novopavlivka, Sukhetske, Rivne, Hryshyne, Leontovychi.
On the Oleksandrivka direction, the enemy launched 18 attacks near Vorone, Pryvillya, Verbove, Oleksiivka, Pryvilne, Zelenyi Hai and in the directions of Oleksandrohrad, Vyshneve, Rybne, Krasnohirske, Sosnivka, Zlahoda.
On the Huliaypole Direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 17 Russian attacks in the areas of Pryvillya, Solodke and in the direction of Dobropillya, Huliaypole, and Nove Zaporizhzhia.
On the Orikhiv Direction, the enemy unsuccessfully attempted to break through the Ukrainian defense twice in the areas of Prymorske and Novoandriivka.
On the Prydniprovske direction, the enemy unsuccessfully conducted offensive actions 4 times near the Antonivskyi Bridge.
Supporting operation:
Ukrainian Defense Forces carried out UAV strikes on the Saratov Oil Refinery.
The Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine carried out strikes on the Kacha airbase in Crimea, where an An-26 aircraft, a 55Zh6M “Nebo-M” radar, and a 64N6E radar were hit.
Changes in the enemy disposition:
The 83rd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 69th Motorized Rifle Division of the 6th Combined Arms Army strikes in the area of Velykyi Burluk.
The 68th Motorized Rifle Division of the 6th Combined Arms Army continues to operate in Kupyansk.
The 6th, 7th, and 123rd Separate Motorized Rifle Brigades, the 1102nd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 3rd Combined Arms Army continue to operate in Siversk, while the 85th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade is active near Vasyukivka.
The 346th Separate SOF Brigade strikes along the N32 Pokrovsk – Kostyantynivka highway.
The 114th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 51st Combined Arms Army operates in the eastern part of Nove Shakhove, while the 110th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the army is engaged near Sukhetske and Zatyshok.
The 57th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 5th Combined Arms Army operates in the southeastern part of Huliaypole, the 14th Separate SOF Brigade is active near Kosivtseve, and the 38th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 35th Combined Arms Army fights near Vozdvyzhenka.
The 98th Airborne Division strikes Ukrainian forces in Mykilske.
Possible operation situation developments:
The Defense Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine’s Defense Ministry assesses that the enemy will not be able to capture all of Donetsk Oblast by the spring of 2026. If current fighting continues at the same pace, the enemy could possibly take control of Pokrovsk, Kostyantynivka, Druzhkivka, and Kupyansk no earlier than year’s end.
On the Southern Slobozhanske Direction, the enemy will attempt to break through in the area of Tsehelne toward the Vovchansk–Staryi Saltiv road and the highway to Rubizhne and will try to seize the southern part of Vovchansk with the forces of a tactical grouping formed from elements of the 6th Combined Arms Army, the 11th and the 44th Army Corps. The main forces of the 6th Combined Arms Army will advance from the Vovchansk–Bilyi Kolodyaz area and from the bridgehead on the Oskil through Hryhorivka along converging directions toward Velykyi Burluk, pushing Ukrainian Defense Forces out of the entire territory east of the Siverskyi Donets. Attacks toward Milove–Ambarne and a push toward Hryhorivka from the north are possible. To reduce the combat potential of the Defense Forces’ 16th Army Corps in the Vovchansk area, the enemy’s “Sever (North)” Operational Grouping command will intensify fire on the key supply routes leading to the Vovchansk and Velykyi Burluk areas from the west, southwest, and south, especially at the Siverskyi Donets crossings (the areas of Verkhnya Pysarivka, Staryi Saltiv, and Pechenihy). There is also a high likelihood of enemy strikes in the areas of Bilyi Kolodiaz, Velykyi Burluk, Rubizhne, and Buhayivka. The enemy’s theater-level command is preparing to reinforce the tactical grouping in the Vovchansk area with additional units of the 14th Army Corps and the 1st Tank Army of the “Zapad (West)” Operational Grouping.
On the Lyman direction, the troops of the enemy’s 20th Combined Arms Army will advance toward Shandryholove–Novoselivka and Zelena Dolyna–Drobysheve and will push into the Novoselivka–Drobysheve–Pryshyb–Yarova area, while simultaneously expanding its tactical bridgehead on the Nitrius River near the village of Serednie, in order to block Lyman from the northwest and cut all communications running along the Siverskyi Donets River toward Izium. The enemy may attempt an immediate crossing of the Siverskyi Donets in the Zakytne–Dronivka area, which will complicate the further defense of Siversk.
The enemy’s “Yug (South)” Operational Grouping will attack in the directions of Oleksiyevo-Druzhkivka and Druzhkivka, attempting to cut the H20 highway Kostyantynivka–Sloviansk, which will complicate the logistics of the Ukrainian Defense Forces’ 19th Army Corps in Kostyantynivka. The enemy will deliver concentric strikes simultaneously from Chasiv Yar, Toretsk, the Kleban-Byk Reservoir, and from the Poltavka–Yablunivka line. The enemy’s naval infantry grouping operating on the adjacent flank of the 8th and 51st Combined Arms Armies will attempt to break through from the southwest to the near approaches of Druzhkivka and Kostyantynivka, bypassing them from the west. The enemy’s 3rd Army Corps and the formations of the 8th Combined Arms Army will attempt to break through toward Kostyantynivka, reach the T0504 road, and ease their advance toward Kostyantynivka through Predtechyne and Stupochky. In the area southeast of Kostyantynivka, the enemy will attempt to create an informational pretext regarding a “successful start of the battle for the capture of Kostyantynivka” and will try to isolate the units of Ukrainian Defense Forces’ 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade of the 11th Army Corps, which continue to successfully defend the Chasiv Yar area, from the defense area in Kostyantynivka. The enemy’s “Yug (South)” Operational Grouping will break through to the Novodmytrivka–Chervone line in an attempt to completely collapse Ukrainian defenses in the Chasiv Yar area by applying pressure from the south.
The command of the “Tsentr (Center)” Operational Grouping in order to prevent the withdrawal of elements of the 7th Rapid Reaction Corps of the Air Assault Forces of the Ukrainian Defense Forces from the Pokrovsk–Myrnohrad bridgehead, will make efforts to achieve a deeper envelopment of the western flank of the Pokrovsk defense area, attacking northward from the Udachne–Kotlyne line and attempting to break through to Hryshyne. The withdrawal of elements of Ukrainian Defense Forces from Myrnohrad toward the Dobropillya area could affect the overall situation on the 51st Combined Arms Army bridgehead west of the Kazennyi Torets River. To prevent a deterioration of the situation there, the enemy would hastily organize and conduct counterattacks in the areas of Ivanivka and Nove Shakhove.
On the Oleksandrivka direction, the troops of the enemy’s “Vostok (East)” Operational Grouping will attempt to envelop the Huliaypole defensive area of Ukrainian Defense Forces from the north and block its main lines of communication. The troops of the 36th Combined Arms Army and elements of the right flank of the 5th Combined Arms Army will be breaking through toward Pokrovske from the southeast. The enemy will attempt to reach the Khaychur River and the Huliaypole–Pokrovske road on the Dobropillya–Varvarivka section.
Enemy forces of the “Vostok (East)” Operational Grouping on the Huliaypole Direction will bypass the Huliaypole defensive area from the north, breaking through on the Dobropillya–Varvarivka section, or will break through toward Pokrovske in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast from the south and southeast. At any moment, to exploit success, the 76th Air Assault Division or the 90th Tank Division of the 41st Combined Arms Army may be committed to the operation from the Oleksandrivka Direction. The enemy is capable of creating an operational breakthrough toward Novomykolayivka and of bypassing the Orikhiv defensive area from the north. Russian military command on the Southwestern Theater of Military Operations will attempt to collapse the defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to the southeast of Zaporizhzhia and break through to its approaches. To achieve this, it will simultaneously advance toward Zaporizhzhia both from the east, from Donetsk along the Donetsk–Zaporizhzhia highway, and from the south. By active offensive actions in the area of Danylivka, the enemy will attempt to isolate the Ukrainian grouping in Huliaypole from its main forces in the Pokrovske–Oleksandrivka area, force the Khaychur River in the Danylivka–Dobropillya area, and encircle Huliaypole from the northwest.
On the Orikhiv direction, the “Dnepr” Operational Grouping will attempt to break through along the left bank of the Dnipro River from the Plavni – Kamianske line toward Stepnohirsk and from the Stepove – Mali Shcherbaky line in the northern direction aiming to reach close 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 13.12.25
Personnel - almost 1,187 780 (+1,300);
Tanks – 11,409 (+3);
Armored combat vehicles ‒ 23,714 (+9);
Artillery systems – 35,032 (+24);
Multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) – 1,567 (+1);
Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 1,258 (+2);
Vehicles and fuel tanks – 69,717 (+103);
Aircraft - 432 (0);
Helicopters – 347 (0);
UAV operational and tactical level – 89,684 (+283);
Intercepted cruise and other missiles – 4,060 (0);
Boats/ships – 29 (0).
Humanitarian + general:
During the night of 13 December, Russia attacked Ukraine with 30 missiles and 465 unmanned aerial vehicles, including 270 Shaheds, 4 Kinzhals, 5 Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles, 5 Iskander-K cruise missiles, and 16 Kalibr missiles. Ukrainian Air Force reported impacts by 8 missiles and 33 strike UAVs at 18 locations, with debris falling at three additional locations.
As a result of the massive Russian strikes on Ukraine on the morning of 13 December, parts of Kherson Oblast and the city of Kherson were left without electricity.
On the night of 13 December, Odesa came under a massive combined Russian attack using strike UAVs and missiles, which damaged civilian, energy, and industrial infrastructure, as well as administrative buildings. The strikes caused fires and disrupted power supply, leaving almost the entire city without electricity, water, and heating. A fire broke out in grain storage facilities at the Odesa Sea Port. According to preliminary data, 4 people were injured. The Odesa Oblast Military Administration described this attack as “one of the most massive air attacks by the enemy.” As of the evening, it was unknown when power supply would be restored in Odesa. The town of Artsyz was expected to be without electricity for a week.
As a result of the massive attack on Mykolaiv Oblast, five people were injured in Mykolaiv. Three of them were hospitalized in moderate condition. Due to the attack, settlements in the Bashtanka and Mykolaiv districts, as well as critical infrastructure and electric public transport in Mykolaiv, were left without power. All critical infrastructure facilities are being switched to generators. Full restoration of power supply is planned within two days.
In the village of Zarichne, Chuhuiv district, Kharkiv Oblast, a Russian UAV struck a civilian passenger car. As a result, a 10-year-old girl was injured and hospitalized in moderate condition. A 65-year-old woman also suffered an acute stress reaction.
On 13 December 2025, Russia carried out an attack on a civilian vessel, delivering a deliberate UAV strike against the Turkish ship VIVA, which was en route to Egypt carrying Ukrainian sunflower oil. The passage to sea was conducted via the grain corridor, and 11 citizens of the Republic of Türkiye were on board. The strike was carried out in the open sea within Ukraine’s exclusive maritime economic zone, outside the coverage area of Ukrainian air defense.
The state railway company “Ukrzaliznytsia” reported in the morning that for the second consecutive day, Russian attacks have caused power outages on several railway sections along routes to the Pivdennyi port. As a result of these strikes on railway energy infrastructure, cargo transit times have increased. “Ukrzaliznytsia” added that the enemy is attempting to restrict exports through Ukrainian seaports by attacking both port infrastructure and the railway infrastructure that ensures cargo delivery.
The international human rights organization Human Rights Watch accused Russian authorities and the military of systematic torture of Ukrainian defenders in captivity, as confirmed by testimonies from hundreds of former prisoners of war, including 12 in-depth interviews. According to Human Rights Watch, these physical and psychological abuses constitute a widespread pattern aimed at “breaking prisoners’ sense of dignity and self-worth.”
The head of the Main Intelligence Directorate, Kyrylo Budanov, reported to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on preparations for the release of civilians who had been held in Belarus. Thanks to the active role of the United States and cooperation between intelligence services, around one hundred people are being returned to freedom, including five Ukrainians.