Russia's war on Ukraine. 17.12.24
Operational situation
On the Kursk direction, Russian forces advanced southwest of Nechaievo, are engaged in battles for Nechaievo and Nizhniaia Parovaia, advanced near Guevo, north of Russkoe Porechie, attacked east of Kremiannoe, south of Novoivanovka, northwest of Plekhovo in the direction of Kurilovka, and near Cherkasskya Konopelka.
The “Siversk” OTG counterattacked near Novoivanovka.
On the Kharkiv direction, Russian forces attacked in the areas of Vysoka Yaruha, Vovchansk, and Tykhe, but were unsuccessful.
On the Kupyansk direction, in the section between Kolisnykivka and Kruhlyakivka, units of the 2nd Motorized Rifle Division of the 1st Tank Army were forced to retreat south from Kolisnykivka after a series of counterattacks by the “Khortytsia” OSG. An attempt by the 2nd Motorized Rifle Division to break through from the north in the direction of Kruhlyakivka–Zahryzove to expand its position on the left bank of the Oskil River ended in failure.
The enemy managed to outflank the left flank of the Ukrainian Defense Forces units defending in the Synkivka area, successfully crossed the Oskil River south and north of Dvorichna, and secured a tactical bridgehead south of the river.
An enemy attempt to cross the Oskil River north of Dvorichna, establish a foothold, and advance in the direction of Novomlynsk–Fyholivka ended unsuccessfully. However, south of the village, on the Masyutivka–Zapadne direction, the enemy's forward assault groups managed to cross the river and hold a bridgehead with a force of up to one company.
On the Lyman direction, Russian forces attacked in the Terny area.
On the Siversk direction, Russian forces unsuccessfully attacked in the areas of Bilohorivka, Verkhnyokamianske, Ivano-Dariivka, and Vyimka.
Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled a large-scale enemy attack southeast of Vyimka.
On the Kramatorsk direction, Russian forces attacked in Chasiv Yar and near Stupochky.
On the Toretsk direction, Russian forces advanced near Toretsk, on the northern outskirts of Nelipivka, fought on the western outskirts of Toretsk, near the spoil heaps of the "Tsentralna" mine, and attacked near Shcherbynivka.
On the Pokrovsk direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces reclaimed lost positions on the western outskirts of Shevchenkove.
Russian forces advanced near Myrnohrad, Dachenske, Pushkyne, Novotroitske, Novoolenivka, and Ukrainka, reaching a line 2.5 km from the southern outskirts of Pokrovsk. They attacked in the areas of Myrolyubivka, Promin, Lysivka, Dachenske, Zelene, Novoolenivka, Pishchane, and Novotroitske.
On the Kurakhove direction, forward units of the 36th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 29th Combined Arms Army of the Eastern Military District — supported by forces up to two battalions of the 114th Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 51st Combined Arms Army of the Central Military District — expanded their front along the Sukhyi Yaly River and continued their advance towards Zelenivka, capturing it and reaching a line 3 km from the Donetsk–Zaporizhzhia highway near the village of Ulakli. If the enemy advances further in the direction of Konstyantynopil and Ulakli, they could cut off this route.
The 90th Tank Division of the 41st Combined Arms Army is slowly advancing with heavy losses in the directions of Zorya–Slovyanka and Sontsivka–Shevchenko (Lower), which could significantly worsen the position of the “Donetsk” OTG troops defending in the Dachne–Kurakhove–Konstyantynopolske–Sukhyi Yaly area.
On the Vremivka direction, forward units of the enemy 60th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade and the 5th Separate Tank Brigade surrounded units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces in the area of Makarivka. They not only captured Blahodatne but also crossed the Mokri Yaly River westward, north of Makarivka, cutting off the only road leading north from it to Neskuchne and Vremivka.
Simultaneously, forward units of the 127th Motorized Rifle Division of the 5th Combined Arms Army outflanked Makarivka deeply from the west and now actively attack in the direction of Neskuchne.
Operating east and northeast of Velyka Novosilka, the 37th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade and the 40th Separate Marines Brigade of the Pacific Fleet attempt to envelop the entire “Donetsk” OTG defense area from the north. They once again managed to break through to the village of Novyi Komar, but a further attempt to expand the penetration towards Novoocheretuvate was repelled by a counterattack from Ukrainian Defense Forces units. The enemy was forced to retreat to Novyi Komar, where they are attempting to entrench themselves.
General conclusion:
The situation on the Kupyansk direction is dynamically changing under the influence of two main factors: the enemy's attempts to eliminate the northern part of the Ukrainian Defense Forces' bridgehead on the Oskil River in the general direction of Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi railway junction, and their efforts to cross the Oskil River and establish their own bridgehead on the right bank. The enemy has managed to increase its efforts in this direction and is attempting to break through near Zapadne towards the R79 road (Dvorichna – Kupyansk). The enemy succeeded in securing a position on the southern outskirts of Dvorichna.
On the Kurakhove direction, the command of the enemy's "Vostok (East)" Operational Grouping is making efforts to bypass Ukrainian Defense Forces units defending the Konstyantynopolske – Kurakhove line from the south.
The troops of the "Vostok (East)" Operational Grouping, which had been advancing from south to north across the Kashlahach River, have shifted the direction of their main strike towards Velyka Novosilka. As a result, the enemy may lack the forces needed to envelope Kurakhove from the west and to form both an external and internal encirclement front.
The pace of advancement of the forward units of the 90th Tank Division and the 51st Combined Arms Army north of the Kurakhove Reservoir has significantly slowed over the past three days and is not sufficient to ensure a coordinated and simultaneous approach to the rear of the "Donetsk" OTG which is defending the Kurakhove bridgehead.
The battles for the villages of Zorya and Sontsivka have resulted in excessive losses for the forward units of the enemy's 90th Tank Division.
The situation in the area of Velyka Novosilka is contradictory for the enemy due to the terrain conditions at the confluence of the Mokri Yaly and Kashlahach Rivers.
Change in the line of contact (LoC):
There were 245 combat engagements on various fronts.
On the Kharkiv direction, the enemy attacked 3 times in the areas of Hlyboke and Kozacha Lopan.
On the Kupyansk direction, the number of combat clashes reached 4. Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled enemy attacks in the areas of Kucherivka, Zahryzove, Lozova, and Petropavlivka.
On the Lyman direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces stopped 16 enemy attacks. The invaders concentrated their efforts in the areas of Kopanky, Vyshneve, Novoyehorivka, Terny, Hryhorivka, Novoplatonivka, Novoserhiyivka, Makiivka, and Terny in the Serebriansk Forest, as well as in the direction of Cherneshchyna.
On the Siversk direction, the enemy attacked 16 times in the areas of Bilohorivka, Verkhnokamianske, Ivano-Dariivka, Spirne, and Siversk.
On the Kramatorsk direction, 8 attempts by the invaders to advance near Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Chasiv Yar, and Stupochky were stopped by Ukrainian Defense Forces.
On the Toretsk direction, the enemy attempted to advance 12 times in the areas of Toretsk and Shcherbynivka.
On the Pokrovsk direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 52 attacks. The enemy forces were most active near Lysivka, Dachenske, Novyi Trud, Zelenе, Novoolenivka, Pishchane, and Ukrainka.
On the Kurakhove direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to hold back the enemy. In the areas of Sontsivka, Stari Terny, Kurakhove, and Yantarne, the invaders attempted to break through the Ukrainian defense lines 30 times.
On the Vremivka direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces stopped 22 enemy attacks in the direction of Konstyantynopil, Rozdolne, Novy Komar, Neskuchne, Uspenivka, Sukhi Yaly, Blahodatne, Makarivka, and Novodarivka.
On the Orikhiv direction, the enemy attacked 5 times in the area of Novoandriivka.
On the Prydniprovskyi direction, the enemy made 4 unsuccessful attempts to capture positions of Ukrainian defenders.
In Kursk Oblast, Ukrainian Defense Forces continue operations. The enemy conducted 68 assaults on Ukrainian positions and carried out 6 airstrikes.
In the Black Sea-Azov naval operational area, the enemy naval group on combat duty consists of:
Mediterranean Sea: 6 ships, including 3 cruise missile carriers; the total salvo is 25 cruise missiles.
Changes in the enemy disposition:
To cross the Oskil River in the Dvorichna area, the command of the enemy's “Zapad (West)” Operational Grouping formed a separate tactical group consisting of the 344th and 350th Motorized Rifle Regiments of the 69th Motorized Rifle Division of the 6th Combined Arms Army. This tactical group did not participate in the offensive on the Synkivka – Petropavlivka direction alongside the 25th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 6th Combined Arms Army, and the 7th Separate Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 11th Army Corps.
The 299th Airborne Regiment of the 98th Airborne Division is engaged in combat at the refractory materials plant in Chasiv Yar.
The 9th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 51st Combined Arms Army is engaged in combat on the Toretsk direction.
The 24th Separate SOF Brigade, the 1453rd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 1st Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 51st Combined Arms Army, as well as the 15th and 30th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigades of the 2nd Combined Arms Army, operate on the Pokrovsk direction.
Possible operation situation developments:
On the Kupyansk direction, the enemy will make efforts to expand its bridgehead in the Dvorichna area.
On the Kramatorsk direction, the "Khortytsia" OSG units will be forced to retreat to the Kostyantynivka area if the enemy reaches the Chervone–Stupochky line and simultaneously launches an offensive northward at the junction of its 41st and 51st Combined Arms Armies from the Novooleksandrivka–Arkhanhelske line, advancing to the Yablunivka–Oleksandro-Kalynove line on the Toretsk direction. If the Chasiv Yar Refractory Materials Plant is lost, it will be under enemy control by the end of December.
On the Pokrovsk direction, to further strengthen efforts along the main axis of attack, the enemy will soon deploy the 15th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 2nd Army on the section between the assault zones of the 27th Motorized Rifle Division and the 90th Tank Division. This will allow the 90th Tank Division to consolidate its combat formations in the area of Novotroitske and toward Ukrainka. A withdrawal of the “Donetsk” OTG to the Ukrainka – Andriivka – Rozlyv – Novoocheretuvate line is expected. The length of the line of contact will be reduced, thereby tightening the combat formations of the operational-tactical group.
If the enemy advances to the area where the Vovcha and Solona rivers converge near Dachne from the north, the position of Ukrainian Defense Forces units in Kurakhove will become critically complicated unless they manage to retreat in time.
On the Vremivka direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces will have to completely withdraw from the villages liberated during the 2023 offensive, located south of Velyka Novosilka, namely Makarivka, Neskuchne, and Storozhove.
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 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 17.12.24
Personnel - almost 765,110 (+1,600);
Tanks 9,567 (+4);
Armored combat vehicles – 19,759 (+8);
Artillery systems – 21,159 (+8);
Multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) – 1,256 (0);
Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 1,025 (0);
Vehicles and fuel tanks – 31,550 (+70);
Aircraft - 369 (0);
Helicopters – 329 (0);
UAV operational and tactical level – 20,406 (+24);
Intercepted cruise missiles – 2943 (0)
Boats/ships – 29 (0).
Humanitarian + general:
As a result of the morning attack by Russian UAVs on Kyiv, debris fell in four districts of the capital. Minor damage to buildings and a car was recorded. There is no information about any casualties.
On December 17, Russian military dropped an explosive from a UAV on a civilian car in the Dnipro district of Kherson, injuring a 51-year-old man and a 50-year-old woman. They were hospitalized.
On December 17, Russian forces once again shelled Bilozerka in Kherson Oblast. As a result of the attack, a 59-year-old woman who was on the street died. A 63-year-old woman was also injured and hospitalized.
During the day, Russian forces attacked the Nikopol district 15 times. Five private houses were damaged.
On Wednesday, December 18, electricity outage schedules for the population will be applied from 07:00 to 20:00 but consumer groups will be disconnected for only half of the usual interval.