Russia's war on Ukraine. 26.12.24
Operational situation
On the Kursk direction, a missile strike by Ukrainian Defense Forces hit the checkpoint of the 810th Separate Marines Brigade of the Black Sea Fleet in Loknia.
On the Kharkiv direction, the enemy's “Sever (North)” Operational Grouping continues active attacks from Vovchansk in the direction of Vovchanski Khutory using armored vehicles and tanks.
On the Kupyansk direction, the enemy continues to try to expand the bridgehead on the western bank of the Oskil River near Dvorichna with up to two motorized rifle regiments and assault units attached to them. The enemy is trying to advance toward Borova and is attacking Lozova.
On the Siversk direction, the enemy's “Yug (South)” Operational Grouping conducted about 200 attacks in four areas over the past week - near Vyimka, Ivan-Daryne, Verkhnokamianske and Bilohorivka.
On the Kramatorsk direction, fierce fighting continues in the area of the refractory plant in Chasiv Yar.
On the Toretsk direction, fighting continues near the Tsentralna mine.
On the Orikhiv direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces conducted several successful raids on the frontline and captured prisoners. Localized fighting continues along the frontline, with the sides exchanging fire.
General conclusion:
The intensification of enemy's activity on the Kharkiv direction runs contrary to the overall operational situation, as after losing positions at the aggregate plant in Vovchansk, the enemy went on the defensive.
The command of the enemy's “Zapad (West)” Operational Grouping is making efforts to form a full flank east of Borova, from where it plans to launch an offensive on Kupyansk. On the Kupyansk and Borova directions, the “Zapad (West)” Operational Grouping does not have enough forces and means, as their elements have been redeployed to Kursk Oblast, Pokrovsk and Kurakhove areas, and it is assessed as having a limited combat readiness. Intensification of offensive actions in this area contradicts the general logic of the armed struggle.
Even though the Siversk direction is not the direction of the main attack in the theater of operations and is a donor of reserves for other areas, the enemy has sharply increased the intensity of attacks, although it has been declining over the past week.
Russia has established control over most of the islands of the Dnipro River delta (not the presence of troops, but control), which was done to protect the left bank from the actions of the Ukrainian Defense Forces’ sabotage and reconnaissance groups and to prevent the capture of new footholds.
The enemy's “Dnepr” Operational Grouping does not have sufficient forces and means to capture Kherson or create a large bridgehead on the right bank of the Dnipro River.
The enemy's activation simultaneously in all sections of the front indicates an attempt by the enemy military command in the theater of operations to force the command of Ukrainian Defense Forces to keep its reserves in all operational areas without concentrating them for preparation and counterattack. Another purpose of the simultaneous activity is to create favorable conditions for the enemy's “Tsentr (Center)” Operational Grouping, which is to complete the operation near Kurakhove, reach the administrative border of Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk Oblasts and form a defensive line south of Pokrovsk.
Change in the line of contact (LoC):
There were 217 combat engagements on various fronts.
On the Kharkiv direction, the enemy attacked 3 times near Vovchansk.
On the Kupyansk direction, there were 7 Russian attacks. Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled enemy assaults near Dvorichna, Pishchane, Kolisnykivka and Lozova. The enemy is trying to realize its numerical superiority.
On the Lyman direction, the enemy attacked 26 times, trying to wedge into the Ukrainian defense near Novoyehorivka, Kopanky, Zelenyi Hai, Makiivka, Terny, Yampolivka, Serebriansk Forest and in the direction of Druzhelyubivka.
On the Siversk direction, the enemy attacked twice in the area of Bilohorivka.
On the Kramatorsk direction, the occupiers attacked 11 times near Stupochky, Chasiv Yar and Bila Hora.
On the Toretsk direction, the enemy made 13 attacks near Toretsk, Dyliivka and Shcherbynivka.
On the Pokrovsk direction. Ukrainian Defense Forces stopped 57 aggressor's assault actions towards Zelene Pole, Vozdvyzhenka, Myrolyubivka, Promin, Lysivka, Dachenske, Pokrovsk, Novyi Trud, Zelene and Novotroitske. The enemy continues to amass forces for further attacks.
On the Kurakhove direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 31 Russian attacks. Some positions of Ukrainian Defense Forces were destroyed as a result of assault and enemy fire. The occupation forces were most actively trying to advance in the areas of Petropavlivka, Slovyanka, Yasenove, Kurakhove, Andriivka and Dachne.
On the Vremivka direction, the enemy conducted 35 attacks in the areas of Konstyantynopolske, Yantarne, Konstyantynopil, Rozlyv, Velyka Novosilka, Novosilka, Blahodatne and Vremivka.
On the Huliaypole direction, the enemy tried to break through the Ukrainian defense once near the village of Bilohirya.
On the Orikhiv direction, the occupation forces stormed the positions of Ukrainian Defense Forces twice near Novodanylivka.
On the Prydniprovskyi direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces are making efforts to prevent the enemy from advancing deep into Ukrainian territory, successfully repelling 3 enemy attacks.
In the Black Sea-Azov naval operational area, the enemy naval group on combat duty consists of:
Black Sea: 1 ship, including 1 cruise missile carrier; the total salvo is 4 cruise missiles.
Mediterranean Sea: 8 ships, including 3 cruise missile carriers; the total salvo is 25 cruise missiles.
Possible operation situation developments:
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, 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. As soon as the enemy completes the formation of the southern flank of Pokrovsk’s envelopment with the forces of the 2nd Combined Arms Army, the 41st Combined Arms Army will launch an offensive towards Myrnohrad and Novoekonomichne to form the northern flank.
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 Zelenivka–Ulakli and Yasna Polyana–Rozlyv directions, the enemy may additionally deploy the main forces of the 39th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade and part of the forces of the 57th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 5th Combined Arms Army of the "Vostok (East)" Operational Grouping, which had previously been held in reserve by this grouping's command.
On the Orikhiv direction, the enemy command may deploy an assault grouping consisting of the 42nd Motorized Rifle Division, the 136th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade, and the 503rd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 19th Motorized Rifle Division of the 58th Combined Arms Army. Possible directions of advance may include Nesteryanka–Novoandriivka and Myrne–Shcherbaky. The objective may be to bypass the city of Orikhiv from the west, cut the logistical route between Orikhiv and Stepove, and create conditions for encircling the defensive positions of the "Tavria" Operational Strategic Group around Orikhiv from two sides simultaneously. The possibility of forming another assault grouping (forces of the 35th Combined Arms Army) cannot be ruled out, which could strike in the general direction of Myrne–Charivne, bypass Orikhiv from the east, or encircle the city from the north by breaking through to the village of Omelnyk.
The enemy's military command in the south-western theater of operations until March 2025 will try to reach the administrative borders of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts and the junction of Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, and Donetsk Oblasts near the village of Temyrivka thus achieving the military-political goal of the “Special Military Operation”, namely occupation of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts.
Russian operational losses from 24.02.22 to 26.12.24
Personnel - almost 780,860 (+1,560);
Tanks 9,630 (+2);
Armored combat vehicles – 19,933 (+10);
Artillery systems – 21,357 (+24);
Multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) – 1,256 (0);
Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 1,031 (+1);
Vehicles and fuel tanks – 32,180 (+63);
Aircraft - 369 (0);
Helicopters – 329 (0);
UAV operational and tactical level – 20,971 (+63);
Intercepted cruise missiles – 3,003 (+55)
Boats/ships – 29 (0).
Humanitarian + general:
On the night of December 26, 2024 (from 19.00 on December 25), Russia attacked Ukraine with 31 drones. Ukrainian air defense destroyed 20 drones, and 11 enemy imitator drones were lost.
On Thursday, December 26, Russian troops attacked the central market of Nikopol with a kamikaze drone. Eight people were injured. Commercial premises were heavily damaged.
A man was killed, and three other people were injured in a Russian attack at around 14:15 on December 26 on a farm in the village of Slatyne and the town of Zolochiv, Kharkiv Oblast. Another KAB strike in Zolochiv hit a private household. A man was killed and a female local resident was wounded.
In Sumy Oblast, during the shelling of Uhroyidy village of the Krasnopillya community of the Sumy district, around 17:00, a private house with a 59-year-old man inside caught fire. The house was destroyed, its owner died.
On December 26, the Russian military fired at residential ares in the Kherson Oblast using artillery and drones. As of 17:30, five civilian casualties were reported,
Starting from 12 p.m. on December 26, the enemy has been massively shelling the border of Sumy Oblast using various types of weapons, including multiple rocket launchers and drones. More than seven explosions occurred in Sumy between 12 and 13 pm.
Over the past day, Russian forces fired 20 times at Sumy Oblast, 95 explosions were recorded.
Over the past 24 hours, on December 25, Russian troops conducted 3,245 strikes in Donetsk Oblast, damaging more than 30 civilian objects.
The war has already claimed the lives of 143 Ukrainian artists and 94 media workers, according to the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications.
Heat supply has been restored in some regions of Ukraine after a Russian missile attack on December 25. In Kharkiv Oblast, heat has been restored to nearly 400,000 customers. Currently, three communities in the region remain partially without heating. In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, half of the houses in the city of Dnipro have been reconnected. Restoration works continue in the region, with about 43 thousand customers still without heat. In Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, 81 houses are expected to be connected by the end of the day. Heating in Kherson is affected by constant shelling.