Russia’s war on Ukraine. 19.12.25
Operational situation
On the Northern Slobozhansky Direction, Russian forces attacked near Andriivka, Oleksiivka, Yablunivka, Kindrativka, and Varachyne.
On the Southern Slobozhansky direction, Russian forces attempted to advance south of Vovchansk, attacked in the direction of Lyptsi, near Starytsia, Izbytske, Lyman, Vovchanski Khutory, Prylipka, Vilcha, in the direction of Okhrymivka, near Milove, Khatnie, Dovhenke, and Odradne. Elements of the 69th Motorized Rifle Division of the 6th Combined Arms Army, relying on positions in Synelnykove, cannot seize Vilcha and Tsehelne. The 128th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 44th Army Corps has entrenched itself in several blocks of the southern part of Vovchansk, in the area of the Vovchansk Technical College of the National Technical University of Agriculture, but cannot advance along the road toward Bilyi Kolodyaz, although it constantly attacks in this direction.
On the Kupyansk direction, Russian forces attacked near Kupyansk, in the direction of Petropavlivka, near Kurylivka, Pishchane, in the direction of Hlushkivka, near Zahryzove, Novovodyane, Novoyehorivka, in the direction of Cherneshchyna and Chervonyi Stav.
On the Lyman direction, Russian forces attacked near Lyman, Drobysheve, Novoselivka, Stavky, Kolodyaz, and Zarichne.
On the Sloviansk direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces advanced in the western part of Fedorivka, expelling elements of the 3rd Motorized Rifle Division of the 20th Combined Arms Army from there.
Russian forces attempted to advance northeast of Zakitne, attacked near Siversk, Platonivka, in the direction of Ozerne, Zakitne, Dibrova, near Serebrianka, Pereyizne, and Zvanivka.
On the Kostyantynivka direction, Russian forces advanced on the northern outskirts of Ivanopillya, attacked near Kostyantynivka, Virolyubivka, Markove, in the direction of Klynove, near Oleksandro-Shultyne, Kleban-Byk, Pleshchiivka, Ivanopillya, in the direction of Stepanivka, near Rusyn Yar and Sofiivka.
Ukrainian Defense Forces advanced east of Berestok.
On the Pokrovsk direction, the 110th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 51st Combined Arms Army fights for Boykivka. Russian forces attempted to advance near Zaporizhzhia, Dorizhne, in the southeastern part of Hryshyne, attacked in the direction of Kucheriv Yar, near Nove Shakhove, Shakhove, Toretske, near and inside Pokrovsk, near Hryshyne, Rodynske, Chervonyi Lyman, near and within Myrnohrad, near Udachne, Kotlyne, and Molodetske.
Ukrainian Defense Forces hold positions on the heights northeast of Nove Shakhove and northwest of Shakhove and advanced in the center of Zatyshok.
On the Oleksandrivka direction, Russian forces attacked near Novopavlivka, Dachne, Filiya, Ivanivka, Tovste, Oleksandrohrad, in the direction of Lisne, near Stepove, Sosnivka, Verbove, and Krasnohirske.
On the Huliaypole Direction, Russian forces advanced in the eastern part of Huliaypole and in the center of Varvarivka, attempted to advance west of Dobropillya, attacked near and inside Huliaypole, near Radisne, Nove Zaporizhzhia, in the direction of Ternuvate, Bratske, Zarichne, Andriivka, near Solodke, Zlahoda, Pryvilne, and Rybne.
On the Orikhiv direction, Russian forces attempted to advance southwest of Lukyanivske and east of Stepnohirsk, attacked near Novoandriivka, Prymorske, Kamianske, and Plavni.
Ukrainian Defense Forces hold positions in the center of Stepnohirsk in the area of multistory buildings, in Mala Tokmachka, and Novodanylivka.
On the Prydniprovske Direction, combat operations continue on the islands in the delta of the Dnipro River.
General conclusion:
The command of the enemy “Sever (North)” Operational Grouping attempts to complete the occupation of Vovchansk, but its tactical group is unable to advance in the Synelnykove – Tsehelne – Vilcha – Lyman area and southward along the Siverskyi Donets River, or to fully push Ukrainian Defense Forces out of the southern part of Vovchansk, and is forced to allocate part of the forces intended for an advance south of Vovchansk to block Ukrainian positions in the city and repel Defense Forces counterattacks on the flanks of the advancing “Sever (North)” units. All of this significantly slows the advance of troops attempting to break through to Bilyi Kolodyaz and southward along the eastern bank of the Siverskyi Donets, in the direction of Verkhnya Pysarivka and Buhayivka.
The 6th Combined Arms Army, attempting to envelop the defense area of the Armed Forces of Ukraine around Kolodyazne, continues attacks in the Milove – Ambarne and Krasne Pershe – Novovasylivka directions and has reached the line of Odradne – Dvorichanske. Using its bridgehead on the Oskil River, army units attempt to break through in the Dvorichna – Ridkodub direction, unsuccessfully attacking in the Dovhenke area. The development of the 6th Combined Arms Army offensive is complicated by an operational disposition stretched from Vovchansk to Kupyansk, which has reduced operational troop densities, and by the active involvement of the 68th Motorized Rifle Division in fighting in Kupyansk. An advance by the army in the direction of Velykyi Burluk in the near term is possible with minimal chances of operational success and only if the operational reserve of the “Sever (North)” Operational Grouping is committed, likely the troops of the 14th Army Corps, or if the 68th Motorized Rifle Division is regrouped from the Kupyansk Direction to the Velykyi Burluk direction.
On the Kupyansk direction, Russian forces have intensified missile and aviation strikes with glide bombs against Ukrainian positions in Kupyansk and Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi.
The command of the enemy “Zapad (West)” Operational Grouping will in the near future be forced to seek additional reserves to occupy Kupyansk following successful Defense Forces counteroffensive actions. The headquarters of the Operational Grouping attempts to restore ground logistics to units encircled in the central and southern parts of Kupyansk, up to two understrength companies, unsuccessfully operating along both banks of the Oskil River, from the Dvorichna bridgehead via Holubivka and by attacking from the direction of Lyman Pershyi on the Synkivka – Oskil section. Positions lost by the enemy in Kindrashivka and Radkivka further complicate this task, as they allow Ukrainian Defense Forces to keep the southern part of the bridgehead under fire control.
The command of the “Zapad (West)” Operational Grouping may reinforce its tactical group in Kupyansk by involving troops of the 1st Tank Army, including the 4th and 47th Tank Divisions, the 2nd Motorized Rifle Division, and the 27th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade. It should be taken into account that the operational disposition of the 1st Tank Army is excessively stretched from Kupyansk to Lyman; the entire 27th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade is engaged in the fighting for Kupyansk; elements of the 47th Tank Division are engaged in pushing Ukrainian Defense Forces from the bridgehead east of Kupyansk; the 1st and 15th Motorized Rifle Regiments of the 2nd Motorized Rifle Division are deployed on the bridgehead west of the Chornyi Zherebets River on the Lyman Direction; and the 4th Tank Division advances toward Borova. Accordingly, the choice of forces is extremely limited, and any regrouping of troops to the Kupyansk area weakens the 1st Tank Army on other directions.
For the Russian military command, the Lyman direction retains priority in the short term over other directions in northeastern Ukraine.
Russian forces exploit favorable weather conditions on the Pokrovsk Direction to increase the number and intensity of attacks. Russian military command continues to use the 76th Air Assault Division for urban fighting in Pokrovsk.
Russian forces in Plavni and Kamianske are unable to maneuver freely due to Ukrainian UAV attacks. The front line in this area is discontinuous, with intermingled positions of both sides.
Change in the line of contact (LoC), directions of attacks and counterattacks:
There were 193 combat engagements on various fronts.
On the Northern Slobozhansky and Kursk directions, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled four Russian attacks.
On the Southern Slobozhansky and Kursk directions, nine enemy attacks were stopped near Starytsia, Prylipka, Vovchansk, and toward Okhrymivka and Dovhenke.
On the Kupyansk Direction, nine Russian attacks occurred. Enemy assault actions toward Kurylivka, Pishchane, Petropavlivka, Hlushkivka, Novoplatonivka, and Kupyansk were repelled.
On the Lyman direction, the enemy attacked ten times, attempting to penetrate Ukrainian defense toward Chervonyi Stav, Stavky, Drobysheve, and in the areas of Novoyehorivka and Zarichne.
On the Sloviansk direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled three enemy attacks in the areas of Serebrianka and Zvanivka.
On the Kostyantynivka direction, the enemy conducted 28 attacks in the areas of Kleban-Byk, Pleshchiivka, Shcherbynivka, Oleksandro-Shultyne, Rusyn Yar, and toward Kostyantynivka, Ivanopillya, Stepanivka, and Sofiivka.
On the Pokrovsk direction, 50 enemy assault actions were stopped in the areas of Chervonyi Lyman, Rodynske, Myrnohrad, Pokrovsk, Kotlyne, Udachne, Molodetske, Filiya, and toward Toretske, Nove Shakhove, and Novopavlivka.
On the Oleksandrivka direction, the enemy conducted 22 attacks in the areas of Tovste, Oleksandrohrad, Stepove, Pryvilne, Verbove, Krasnohirske, Zlahoda, Rybne, and toward Andriivka-Klevtsove, Ivanivka, Lisne, and Nove Zaporizhzhia.
On the Huliaypole Direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 19 Russian attacks in the areas of Solodke, Zelene, Huliaypole, and toward Varvarivka and Dobropillya.
On the Orikhiv Direction, the enemy made three unsuccessful attempts to break through the Ukrainian defense toward Novoandriivka, Prymorske, and in the Plavni area.
On the Prydniprovske Direction, the enemy conducted two unsuccessful offensive actions toward Antonivka.
Supporting operation:
Ukrainian Defense Forces carried out UAV strikes against the TogliattiAzot plant, the Oryol Thermal Power Plant, an electrical substation in Bataysk, a shadow fleet tanker near the oil transshipment terminal of the Novoshakhtinsk Oil Refinery in Rostov Oblast, a fuel and lubricants depot of the 76th Air Assault Division in the Prymorske area of Zaporizhzhia Oblast, destroyed a 55Zh6 Nebo-U radar near Hvardiiske, struck two Nebo-SVU radars, a radar from an S-400 surface-to-air missile battalion, a Pantsir-S2 anti-aircraft missile and gun system, and a MiG-31 aircraft at Belbek Air Base in Crimea.
Changes in the enemy disposition:
The 106th Airborne Division strikes Ukrainian forces near Mykilske.
The 27th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 1st Tank Army conducts reconnaissance in Kupyansk.
The 169th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 25th Combined Arms Army operates near Yampil.
The 103rd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 150th Motorized Rifle Division of the 8th Combined Arms Army and the 27th Artillery Regiment of the 6th Motorized Rifle Division of the 3rd Army Corps operate near Kostyantynivka; the 163rd Tank Regiment of the 150th Motorized Rifle Division strikes Ukrainian positions near Sofiivka; the “Sever-V” reconnaissance-assault brigade operates north of Chasiv Yar; the 68th Tank Regiment of the 150th Motorized Rifle Division operates near Toretske; the 33rd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 20th Motorized Rifle Division and the 174th Separate Reconnaissance Battalion of the 150th Motorized Rifle Division operate in the direction of Dobropillya.
The 55th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 41st Combined Arms Army and the 27th Motorized Rifle Division of the 2nd Combined Arms Army operate on the Pokrovsk Direction; the 506th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 27th Motorized Rifle Division operates near Hryshyne; the 132nd Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 51st Combined Arms Army operates in Myrnohrad.
The 38th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 35th Combined Arms Army strikes Ukrainian positions in Zaliznychne.
The 108th and 247th Air Assault Regiments of the 7th Air Assault Division operate near Stepnohirsk; the 291st Artillery Brigade of the 58th Combined Arms Army strikes near Orikhiv; the 328th Air Assault Regiment of the 104th Air Assault Division operates in Lukyanivske.
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. The enemy’s theater-level command may 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 Kupyansk Direction, the enemy will hold its bridgehead in the Dvorichna area north of Kupyansk and simultaneously will develop an offensive by the 47th Tank Division of the 1st Tank Army east of the city. If the military-political leadership of the Russian Federation decides to restore the status quo in Kupyansk, the command of the “Zapad (West)” Operational Grouping will require significant additional reserves; therefore, the redeployment of the 104th Air Assault Division from the Prydniprovske Direction to the Kupyansk Direction should be expected.
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 attempt 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.
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. Through active offensive actions in the Danylivka area, the enemy will attempt to isolate the 102nd Territorial Defense Brigade of Ukrainian Defense Forces in Huliaypole from the main forces in the Pokrovske–Oleksandrivka area.
On the Orikhiv Direction, the enemy is capable of creating an operational breakthrough toward Novomykolayivka to bypass the Orikhiv defensive area from the north. Russian military command in the Southwestern theater of military operations will attempt to collapse the defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine southeast of Zaporizhzhia and break through to its near approaches, to be achieved by simultaneous advances toward Zaporizhzhia both from the east, from the Donetsk side along the Donetsk–Zaporizhzhia highway, and 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 19.12.25
Personnel - almost 1,194 520 (+1,220);
Tanks – 11,433 (+1);
Armored combat vehicles ‒ 23,768 (+10);
Artillery systems – 35,250 (+18);
Multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) – 1,574 (+1);
Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 1263 (0);
Vehicles and fuel tanks – 70,591 (+111);
Aircraft - 432 (0);
Helicopters – 347 (0);
UAV operational and tactical level – 92,142 (+426);
Intercepted cruise and other missiles – 4,073 (0);
Boats/ships – 30 (0).
Humanitarian + general:
During the night of 19 December, Russian forces attacked the territory of Ukraine with 160 strike UAVs of the Shahed, Gerbera, and other types, including approximately 90 Shahed drones. As of 08:00, Ukrainian air defense forces shot down and suppressed 108 UAVs in the southern and eastern regions. Impacts by 47 strike UAVs were recorded at 23 locations, and the attack was ongoing.
During the night of 19 December, Russian forces attacked Odesa, resulting in damage to a critical infrastructure facility and residential buildings. As a result of the strike, part of one of the city’s densely populated districts was temporarily left without electricity, water, and heat supply. One woman sustained moderate injuries and was hospitalized.
Russia struck railway infrastructure in Odesa Oblast: a post at one of the railway stations was destroyed, and a signal operator was wounded. Despite the damage, rail traffic in the Odesa hub was maintained.
As a result of Russian shelling of Kharkiv Oblast, two people were killed and seven others were wounded. An airstrike on the village of Blahodativka in Kupiansk District killed a 22-year-old man and injured five others. In the village of Osynove, a 47-year-old man was killed by a UAV strike, and in the village of Pisky-Radkivski an enemy UAV hit a civilian vehicle, leaving the driver and a passenger seriously wounded.
On 19 December, the Russian army carried out two strikes on the private residential sector of Zaporizhzhia, damaging houses and garages and wounding seven people. In addition, one more person was wounded as a result of an occupier attack on one of the districts of Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
Russian forces conducted a massive attack on a gas production facility of the Smart Energy group in Kharkiv Oblast, launching more than ten Shahed-type UAVs at it. According to the company’s press service, the equipment sustained significant damage, and the full extent of the consequences is being clarified. There were no casualties or injuries among personnel.
In Zaporizhzhia District, a 75-year-old man and a 30-year-old woman were wounded as a result of a Russian UAV attack. The strike also damaged vehicles and the surrounding area.
Throughout 19 December, Russian forces shelled Kherson Oblast with artillery and MLRS and carried out UAV attacks, wounding eight people in the regional center. Among the wounded were a 16-year-old boy and a 17-year-old girl. According to the prosecutor’s office, three police officers were injured due to the detonation of a shell while performing their official duties.
During the day, Russian forces attacked four districts of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast with UAVs and artillery, damaging houses, a gas pipeline, and power lines. There were no reports of casualties.
As a result of Russian attacks, large-scale damage to generation facilities and power grids was recorded in Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, Kharkiv, Kherson, and Chernihiv Oblasts. According to the Ministry of Energy, the most difficult situation persists in frontline and border regions; in particular, due to nighttime strikes more than 73,000 consumers in Odesa Oblast and more than 26,000 subscribers in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast were left without electricity. Emergency repair and restoration work is ongoing in the damaged areas.
Ukraine recovered 1,003 bodies that, according to the Russian side, belong to Ukrainian servicemen. The previous exchange took place on 23 October.
As of 08:00 on 19 December, traffic was closed on the bridge along the M-15 Odesa–Reni highway in the village of Maiaky, Odesa Oblast. According to the Recovery Agency, the structure has repeatedly suffered enemy strikes and currently requires an expert examination and assessment of the condition of its structures. The exact timeline for the restoration of traffic is unknown, as repair work has been suspended due to the security situation.