Russia’s war on Ukraine. 27.12.25
Operational situation
On the Northern Slobozhansky Direction, Russian forces attempted to advance east and south of Oleksiivka, along the H07 Sumy–Sudzha highway south of Yunakivka, attacked near Kindrativka and Andriivka, toward Mala Korchakivka, and near Hrabovske.
On the Southern Slobozhansky direction, Russian forces attacked near Vilcha, Prylipka, Vovchanski Khutory, Vovchansk, Starytsia, and Lyman, toward Bilyi Kolodyaz, Symynivka, Izbytske, Milove, Khatnie, and Kolodyazne, toward Hryhorivka, and attempted to advance west of Odradne. Enemy infantry groups have infiltrated and operate south of Dvorichanske. The enemy attempte to consolidate on the outskirts of Vilcha.
On the Kupyansk direction, small enemy infantry groups operate along the R79 Kupyansk–Chuhuiv highway north of Kupyansk, in the northern part of the city, and south of Radkivka, have attacked near Petropavlivka and Hlushkivka, toward Kurylivka and Pishchane, near Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi, Bohuslavka, Zahryzove, Novoplatonivka, Druzhelyubivka, Hrekivka, Novovodyane, Novoyehorivka, and toward Novoserhiyivka. The 245th and 347th Motorized Rifle Regiments of the 47th Tank Division of the 1st Tank Army and the 1472nd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 68th Army Corps attempted to seize Baranivka and Basove. Elements of the 3rd Battalion of the 245th Motorized Rifle Regiment withdrew after heavy losses during attacks near Baranivka. The enemy holds positions in the northeastern part of Kupyansk.
Ukrainian Defense Forces advanced in the center, on the western, northwestern, and southern outskirts of Kupyansk, made the situation on the western bank of the Oskil River hopeless for the enemy by cutting off supply, advanced near Zakhidne, hold positions southeast of Holubivka, counterattacked north of Kupyansk to the Oskil River near Osynove, and attacked from the areas of Myrova, Sobolivka, Sadove, and Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi.
On the Lyman direction, Russian forces attacked in and near Lyman, near Shandryholove, Novoselivka, Serednie, Stavky, Ridkodub, Kolodyazi, and Zarichne.
On the Sloviansk direction, Russian forces seized Sviato-Pokrovske and advanced north of the village, advanced southeast of Dronivka, attempted to advance north and east of Riznykivka and southwest of Platonivka, attacked near Siversk, Dronivka, Zakytne, and Ozerne, toward Kryva Luka, near Serebrianka, Bondarne, Pazeno, and Kuzmynivka, and toward Mykolaivka.
On the Kostyantynivka direction, Russian forces advanced in the southern part of Kostyantynivka along the T0516 Toretsk–Kostyantynivka highway, attempted to advance along the E40 Sloviansk–Izium highway east of Pryvillya and east of Minkivka, attacked near and inside Kostyantynivka, near Mayske, Virolyubivka, Markove, Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Chasiv Yar, Novomarkove, Oleksandro-Shultyne, Pleshchiivka, Nelipivka, Shcherbynivka, Ivanopillya, Kleban-Byk, toward Berestok, near Yablunivka, Rusyn Yar, and Sofiivka.
Ukrainian Defense Forces operate in the eastern part of Kostyantynivka, hold positions in the south of Chasiv Yar and in the east of Mykolaivka, and control Chervone.
On the Pokrovsk direction, Russian forces operate south of Hryshyne, seized Shakhove, attempted to advance north of the village, in the north of Myrnohrad, northwest of Rodynske, north of Udachne, conducted an unsuccessful assault north of Novotoretske, attacked toward Kucheriv Yar, near Novo-Shakhove, toward Vilne and Novyi Donbas, near Pankivka and Zaporizhzhia, near and inside Pokrovsk, toward Hryshyne, near Krasnyi Lyman, Sukhetske, and Novoekonomichne, and near and within Myrnohrad, near Leontovychi, Kotlyne, Udachne, and Molodetske.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked near Pokrovsk and Hryshyne, delivered strikes in the northeast of Myrnohrad and northwest of Pokrovsk.
On the Oleksandrivka direction, Russian forces attempted to advance northwest of Filiya and northwest and east of Ivanivka, attacked near Novopavlivka, Novoserhiyivka, Dachne, Tovste, Yalta, Zelenyi Hai, Andriivka-Klevtsove, Vyshneve, Krasnohorske, Oleksandrohrad, and Vorone.
Ukrainian Defense Forces liberated Orestopil, Novoselivka, Sosnivka, Khoroshe, and Vorone, and stopped attempts by the enemy “Vostok (East)” Operational Grouping to force the Vovcha River.
On the Huliaypole Direction, the 37th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 36th Combined Arms Army conducted fighting for Kosivtseve. Russian forces advanced in the center of Pryluky, west of Dobropillya, and northwest and south of Huliaypole, attacked toward Bratske and Ternuvate, near Novo Zaporizhzhia, Varvarivka, Dobropillya, Yehorivka, Zlahoda, Rybne, Pryvilne, Uspenivka, and Solodke.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked from Ternuvate and Prydorozhne.
On the Orikhiv direction, Russian forces advanced south of Stepnohirsk, attempted to advance southwest of Pavlivka, north of Stepnohirsk, in the south of Novoandriivka, north of Prymorske, and attacked toward Lukyanivske.
On the Prydniprovske Direction, Russian forces attacked toward the Antonivskyi Bridge.
General conclusion:
On the Southern Slobozhansky Direction, Russian forces employ small-group infiltration tactics supported by UAVs and guided aerial bomb airstrikes.
North of Kupyansk, the enemy continues attempts to regroup and retake the city in order to prevent the capitulation of encircled Russian units. On the Kupyansk Direction, Russian forces continue to use buggies and motorcycles during attacks, and FPV drones to disrupt Ukrainian logistics.
On the Lyman Direction, Russian forces are increasing both the range and the number of UAVs used to strike Ukrainian Defense Forces logistics routes. Up to 70 percent of UAVs use fiber-optic control, with the remainder being FPV drones.
On the Sloviansk Direction, Russian forces have intensified infiltration and assaults, using fog and poor winter weather to conceal their actions. The enemy attacks in small groups, attempting to penetrate Siversk, and conducts strikes with Geran, Gerbera, and Italmas UAVs against transport on the Sloviansk–Lyman highway. The location of Siversk in low terrain allows Ukrainian Defense Forces to localize and destroy Russian units immediately after detection.
The start of an offensive operation to seize the “belt of fortresses” will further stretch enemy resources, and the enemy command in the theater of operations will have to deprioritize other sections of the front in order to concentrate forces for the occupation of the part of Donetsk Oblast controlled by the Ukrainian government.
Russian forces assault Kostyantynivka head-on from positions in Toretsk, possessing numerical superiority in artillery and mortars. The enemy is unable to make significant advances near Chasiv Yar but is gradually advancing to the south and southwest of Kostyantynivka.
On the Pokrovsk Direction, Russian forces attempt to infiltrate Ukrainian positions near Pokrovsk with the support of UAVs, artillery, and FPV drone strikes, using fog. The enemy does not employ special purpose units for infiltration missions and operates exclusively with infantry.
The situation on the Oleksandrivka and Huliaypole Directions shows that Russian forces are capable of advancing by concentrating troops on a specific sector. The enemy exploited tactical mistakes by Ukrainian command and advanced in Huliaypole. Enemy aviation conducts 20 to 25 guided aerial bomb airstrikes against Huliaypole. The enemy is focusing on the capture of the city but has halted offensive actions in the Orestopil–Novoselivka–Khoroshe–Vorone–Sosnivka area.
The enemy “Vostok (East)” Operational Grouping is attempting to conduct simultaneous offensive actions in the advance zone of the 5th Combined Arms Army to the east and northeast of Huliaypole and in the advance zone of the 36th Combined Arms Army on the Oleksandrivka Direction. To advance, the “Vostok (East)” Operational Grouping must regroup, restore combat capability, and replenish supplies.
Supporting operation:
Ukrainian Defense Forces conducted UAV strikes against the concentration area of the 14th Separate SOF Brigade in Berdyanske, a logistics supply depot of the 228th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 90th Tank Division of the 41st Combined Arms Army in the area of Starobesheve, Luhansk Oblast, and a fuel and lubricants depot of the 103rd Separate Logistics Brigade of the “Vostok (East)” Operational Grouping in the area of Volnovakha, Donetsk Oblast.
Ukrainian Defense Intelligence units struck an S-300V SAM system, an RSP-6M2 landing radar, a Redut-221 command-and-staff vehicle, an RPN-9S36M target illumination and missile guidance radar from a Buk-M3 SAM battalion, and an ammunition depot.
Change in the line of contact (LoC), directions of attacks and counterattacks:
There were 258 combat engagements on various fronts.
On the Northern Slobozhansky and Kursk directions, three enemy attacks took place.
On the Southern Slobozhansky and Kursk directions, the enemy attacked nine times near Vovchanski Khutory, Prylipka, Starytsia, and toward Vilcha and Izbytske.
On the Kupyansk Direction, 12 combat engagements occurred. Enemy assault actions were stopped in the areas of Pishchane and Kruhlyakivka and toward Petropavlivske, Novoplatonivka, and Kupyansk.
On the Lyman direction, the enemy attacked 33 times, attempting to penetrate Ukrainian defenses near Hrekivka, Novovodyane, Novoyehorivka, Novoselivka, Kopanky, Kolodyazi, Serednie, Ridkodub, Karpivka, Zarichne, and toward Lyman and Drobysheve.
On the Sloviansk direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces stopped eight Russian offensive actions in the areas of Siversk and Dronivka.
On the Kostyantynivka direction, the enemy carried out 28 attacks in the areas of Minkivka, Virolyubivka, Oleksandro-Shultyne, Shcherbynivka, Pleshchiivka, Yablunivka, Rusyn Yar, and toward Sofiivka.
On the Pokrovsk direction, 63 enemy assault actions were stopped in the areas of Shakhove, Pankivka, Nykanorivka, Myrnohrad, Rodynske, Pokrovsk, Kotlyne, Udachne, Novoserhiyivka, and Dachne.
On the Oleksandrivka direction, the enemy carried out 21 attacks near Zelenyi Hai, Yalta, Tovste, Sichneve, Verbove, Vyshneve, Vorone, and Rybne.
On the Huliaypole Direction, 31 enemy attempts to advance were stopped in the areas of Varvarivka, Solodke, and Huliaypole.
On the Orikhiv Direction, Ukrainian units stopped nine enemy attacks on their positions in the areas of Mali Shcherbaky, Stepnohirsk, Stepove, and Mala Tokmachka.
Changes in the enemy disposition:
In the Moscow Military District, an unmanned systems regiment has been formed. The regiment has begun training in counter-UAV operations and the employment of unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) at a training range. The 18th Combined Arms Army is forming a separate UAV battalion in Kherson Oblast. Earlier, the 3rd Separate UAV Battalion had already been formed within the army.
The 15th Tank Regiment of the 69th Motorized Rifle Division of the 6th Combined Arms Army conducts strikes against Ukrainian positions near Myropillya.
The 68th Motorized Rifle Division of the 6th Combined Arms Army continues to operate near Kupyansk; the 26th Tank Regiment of the 47th Tank Division of the 1st Tank Army strikes Ukrainian forces near Hlushkivka.
Units of the “Rubikon” Center for Advanced Unmanned Technologies strike Ukrainian positions in the direction of Lyman.
The 169th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 25th Combined Arms Army operates near Yampil; the 123rd Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 3rd Combined Arms Army operates north of Sviato-Pokrovske.
The 6th Motorized Rifle Division of the 3rd Army Corps strikes Ukrainian forces in the south of Kostyantynivka; the 238th Artillery Brigade of the 8th Combined Arms Army operates near Druzhkivka; the 381st Artillery Regiment of the 8th Combined Arms Army operates near Torske; the “Sever-V” brigades operate north of Chasiv Yar; the 70th Motorized Rifle Division of the 18th Combined Arms Army advances toward Virolyubivka and on the Mayske–Markove line; the 80th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 14th Army Corps, the 40th, 155th, and 336th Separate Marine Brigades, the 177th Separate Marine Regiment, the 72nd Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 3rd Army Corps, and the 4th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 3rd Combined Arms Army continue to operate in the Kostyantynivka–Druzhkivka area.
The 102nd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 150th Motorized Rifle Division of the 8th Combined Arms Army strikes Ukrainian forces in the direction of Dobropillya; the 20th Motorized Rifle Division of the 8th Combined Arms Army advances north of Shakhove; the 35th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 41st Combined Arms Army operates northwest of Pokrovsk; the 71st Separate SOF Battalion of the 2nd Combined Arms Army operates near Pokrovsk; the 5th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 51st Combined Arms Army and the 57th Separate SOF Company of the 8th Combined Arms Army operate near Myrnohrad; the 9th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 51st Combined Arms Army operates in the western part of Rodynske. The 24th Engineer-Sapper Regiment of the 41st Combined Arms Army operates on the Pokrovsk Direction.
The 57th and 60th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigades of the 5th Combined Arms Army operate in Huliaypole; the 14th Separate SOF Brigade conducts UAV strikes against Ukrainian transport vehicles southeast of Vozdvyzhenka; the 143rd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 127th Motorized Rifle Division of the 5th Combined Arms Army operates in Pryluky. Aviation of the 11th Air Force and Air Defense Army strikes Ukrainian forces in Ternuvate.
The 247th Air Assault Regiment of the 7th Air Assault Division strikes Ukrainian forces near Prymorske, in and around Stepnohirsk; the 291st Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 42nd Motorized Rifle Division of the 58th Combined Arms Army operates near Novodanylivka; the 104th Air Assault Division operates near Orikhiv.
The 98th Airborne Division strikes Ukrainian forces near Prydniprovske.
Possible operation situation developments:
On the Southern Slobozhanske Direction, the enemy will attempt to complete the occupation of Vovchansk, completely push units of Ukrainian Defense Forces out of the southern part of the city, 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 formed from elements of the 6th Combined Arms Army, the 11th and the 44th Army Corps. All of this will significantly slow the advance of the troops toward Bilyi Kolodyaz and southward along the eastern bank of the Siverskyi Donets, in the direction of 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 from the bridgehead on the Oskil River. An advance of the army in the Velykyi Burluk Direction in the near term is possible with minimal chances of operational success and only on the condition of introducing the operational reserve of the enemy “Sever (North)” Operational Grouping (likely the troops of the 14th Army Corps) into the operation or regrouping the 68th Motorized Rifle Division from the Kupyansk Direction to the Velykyi Burluk Direction. The development of the tactical success of Ukrainian Defense Forces in Myrne, Radkivka, and Sobolivka worsens the situation for the troops of the enemy “Zapad (West)” Operational Grouping in this area.
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 sector.
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 Special Purpose 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.
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 27.12.25
Personnel - almost 1,203 310 (+1,240);
Tanks – 11,464 (+5);
Armored combat vehicles ‒ 23,823 (+19);
Artillery systems – 35,542 (+33);
Multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) – 1,579 (0);
Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 1,264 (0);
Vehicles and fuel tanks – 71,612 (+158);
Aircraft - 434 (0);
Helicopters – 347 (0);
UAV operational and tactical level – 95,539 (+205);
Intercepted cruise and other missiles – 4,107 (0);
Boats/ships – 30 (0).
Humanitarian + general:
On the night of 27 December, Russia carried out a massive combined strike against Ukraine’s critical infrastructure, employing 559 air attack assets. According to the Air Force, the enemy launched 519 UAVs of various types (including about 300 Shaheds, as well as Gerbera UAVs and other models) and 40 missiles. The main direction of the attack was Kyiv Oblast. As of 13:00, air defense neutralized 503 targets: 474 UAVs and 29 missiles, including 6 ballistic or aeroballistic Iskander-M/Kinzhal missiles, 4 Iskander-K/Kalibr cruise missiles, and 19 Kh-101 cruise missiles. Impacts of 10 missiles and 25 UAVs were recorded at 30 locations, and as of that time the attack was ongoing, with several enemy UAVs remaining in the airspace.
On the night of 27 December, Russians attacked Kyiv and Kyiv Oblast. The nighttime attack on Kyiv lasted 9.5 hours, and several repeat attacks occurred during the day. One third of Kyiv was left without heat supply, and part of the left bank without electricity. In Kyiv and the oblast, at least two people were killed and another 32, including 2 children, were wounded. In the capital, more than 10 residential buildings were damaged, one person was killed, and 68 people were evacuated from a geriatric care facility in the Darnytskyi district. In Bila Tserkva, a woman was killed, and the total number of wounded in the oblast reached 14 by the end of the day; search operations continue in the Dniprovskyi district of Kyiv, where a person may be trapped under the rubble.
As of 15:00, more than 500,000 consumers in Kyiv and Kyiv Oblast were left without power, while in Chernihiv Oblast more than 22,000 consumers remained without electricity.
At night, Russian forces attacked the gas and energy infrastructure of the “Naftohaz” Group, using UAVs against extraction facilities and combined heat and power plants. According to the head of the group, Serhii Koretskyi, these strikes were synchronized with the onset of colder weather, as the enemy seeks to exploit frost and peak loads to disable the energy system. An assessment of the consequences of the attack is currently underway.
At night, Russian forces struck Sloviansk in Donetsk Oblast with guided aerial bombs, wounding at least one person and damaging dozens of private houses.
Throughout 27 December, Russian forces attacked the city of Nikopol and three communities of Nikopol district in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast with drones, resulting in two people being wounded and damage to residential buildings.
Over the 26–27 December period, Russian forces carried out UAV and aerial bomb strikes against industrial and port infrastructure in Odesa Oblast. According to the Odesa Oblast Military Administration, equipment for grain transportation was damaged on the territory of an elevator, but there were no fatalities or casualties as a result of the attack.