Russia’s war on Ukraine. 28.12.25
Operational situation
On the Northern Slobozhansky Direction, Russian forces fought for Andriivka and attacked near Kindrativka and Oleksiivka.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked near Varachyne.
On the Southern Slobozhansky direction, Russian forces attacked near Sotnytsky Kozachok, Prylipka, Vovchanski Khutory, Vovchansk, Starytsia, Vilcha, Izbytske, Lyman, toward Symynivka, near Milove, Khatnie, Dvorichanske, toward Hryhorivka and Kolodyazne.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked in Vilcha and hold positions in Vovchanski Khutory, thereby preventing further enemy advance on the western outskirts of the village.
On the Kupyansk direction, Russian forces attacked near and inside Kupyansk, toward Petropavlivka and Pishchane, near Palamarivka, Monachynivka, Myrova, Sobolivka, Blahodativka, Prokopivka, Boldyrivka, Sadove, Osynove, Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi, Kruhlyakivka, toward Novoplatonivka, near Kopanky, Hrekivka, Novovodyane, Novoyehorivka, toward Druzhelyubivka, but did not advance.
Ukrainian Defense Forces liberated most of Kupyansk and advanced along the R07 Kupyansk–Shevchenkove highway and the R79 Kupyansk–Chuhuiv highway in the city center.
On the Lyman direction, Russian forces attempted to advance along the O0526 Lyman–Druzhelyubivka highway and east of Stavky, attacked within and near Lyman, near Novoselivka and Serednie, toward Drobysheve, near Ridkodub, Karpivka, Kolodyazi, and Zarichne.
On the Sloviansk direction, Russian forces attempted to advance within, north of, and south of Riznykivka, and attacked near Siversk, Dronivka, Zakitne, Ozerne, Serebrianka, Kuzmynivka, and Vasyukivka.
On the Kostyantynivka direction, Russian forces attacked near and inside Kostyantynivka, near Virolyubivka, Markove, Minkivka, Novomarkove, Predtechyne, Oleksandro-Shultyne, Pleshchiivka, Shcherbynivka, Yablunivka, Stepanivka, Rusyn Yar, toward Sofiivka.
On the Pokrovsk direction, troops of the 1st “Azov” Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine repelled an enemy assault near Boykivka and on both banks of the Kazennyi Torets River near Maiak and Novotoretske. Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked near Hryshyne.
Russian forces attempted to advance toward Bilytske, in the northern part of Myrnohrad, and attacked near Kucheriv Yar, Shakhove, Toretske, Pankivka, Zaporizhzhia, Nove Shakhove, Dorizhne, inside and near Pokrovsk, near Rodynske, Krasnyi Lyman, Myrnohrad, Kotlyne, Udachne, Molodetske, and Hryshyne.
On the Oleksandrivka direction, Russian forces continued the offensive near Novoserhiyivka, Filiya, Yalta, Dachne, Torske, Zelenyi Hai, Andriivka-Klevtsove, Sichneve, Velykomykhailivka, Tykhe, Vyshneve, Verbove, and Vorone.
On the Huliaypole Direction, Russian forces advanced in the center of Huliaypole and north of the city; the line of contact in this area runs farther south in the fields north of Huliaypole. The enemy attacked toward Ternuvate and near Varvarivka, Rybne, Pryvilne, and Solodke.
On the Orikhiv direction, Russian forces attacked toward Lukyanivske and near Prymorske, Shcherbaky, Stepnohirsk, Stepove, Mali Shcherbaky, Bilohiria, and Mala Tokmachka.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked near Novodanylivka.
On the Prydniprovske Direction, Russian forces attacked toward the Antonivskyi Bridge.
General conclusion:
On the Kupyansk Direction, Russian forces have significantly increased the number of UAV crews, employ more fiber-optic drones and Molniia UAVs, and concentrate forces in rear positions on the eastern bank of the Oskil River.
Russian officials and state media make efforts to conceal the defeat in Kupyansk.
On the Lyman Direction, the manpower ratio is 1 to 10 in favor of the enemy. The enemy is returning to the use of armored combat vehicles, but so far only to transport infantry.
On the Sloviansk Direction, Russian forces use small-group infiltration tactics to penetrate toward Dronivka, hold positions along key Ukrainian Defense Forces logistics routes from Siversk and Yampil, and enemy UAV operators deny Ukrainian forces the ability to move safely along routes between Sloviansk and Rai-Oleksandrivka.
Commanders of the 54th Separate Mechanized Brigade and the 10th Separate Mountain Assault Brigade of Ukrainian Defense Forces have been removed from their positions for the loss of positions in Siversk.
On the Kostyantynivka Direction, enemy UAVs attack civilian transport vehicles in Kostyantynivka.
On the Pokrovsk Direction, Russian forces continue to use small-group infiltration tactics and carry out daily artillery, UAV, and aviation strikes on Myrnohrad; the intensity of strikes on the city has increased significantly. Street fighting continues on the outskirts of the city, and the enemy attempts to advance in the southeastern part of Myrnohrad.
On the Oleksandrivka Direction, enemy units operate on the frontline for approximately one month, after which they are withdrawn to the rear for recovery.
In the tactical rear of Ukrainian Defense Forces within Donetsk Oblast, the local population that remains directly within the brigades’ rear areas is providing mass assistance to the enemy and cooperating with it. Enemy sabotage and reconnaissance groups, infiltration groups, and individual enemy servicemen find shelter, civilian clothing, food, and intelligence on the disposition and composition of Ukrainian Defense Forces units, which should be regarded as a threatening trend.
Supporting operation:
Ukrainian Defense Forces conducted UAV strikes against energy facilities in Syzran and against the Syzran oil refinery.
Kurumoch Airport in Samara Oblast was closed.
Change in the line of contact (LoC), directions of attacks and counterattacks:
There were 160 combat engagements on various fronts.
On the Northern Slobozhansky and Kursk directions, an enemy attack was repelled.
On the Southern Slobozhansky and Kursk directions, the enemy attempted seven times to break through Ukrainian defensive lines near Starytsia, Vovchansk, Prylipka, and toward Lyman and Hryhorivka.
On the Kupyansk Direction, four enemy attacks occurred. Enemy assault actions toward Petropavlivka and Pishchane were repelled.
On the Lyman direction, the enemy conducted 16 attacks, attempting to penetrate the Ukrainian defense near Serednie and Novoselivka and toward Druzhelyubivka, Oleksandrivka, Lyman, Stavky, Ozerne, and Drobysheve.
On the Sloviansk direction, five enemy attempts to advance were stopped in the area of Serebrianka.
On the Kostyantynivka direction, the enemy carried out 21 attacks in the areas of Vasyukivka and Predtechyne and toward Bondarne, Kostyantynivka, Oleksandro-Shultyne, and Pleshchiivka, and toward Sofiivka and Stepanivka.
On the Pokrovsk direction, 32 enemy assault actions were stopped in the areas of Chervonyi Lyman, Myrnohrad, Pokrovsk, Kotlyne, Udachne, Molodetske, Dachne, and Filiya, and toward Nove Shakhove, Dorizhne, Rodynske, and Hryshyne.
On the Oleksandrivka direction, the enemy carried out 16 attacks near Yalta, Vyshneve, Oleksandrohrad, Verbove, Pryvilne, and Rybne, and toward Andriivka-Klevtsove.
On the Huliaypole Direction, 19 enemy attacks occurred in the areas of Huliaypole and Bilohirya and toward Dobropillya.
On the Orikhiv Direction, three enemy attacks were repelled in the areas of Shcherbaky and Stepove.
On the Prydniprovske Direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled three enemy attacks toward the Antonivskyi Bridge.
Changes in the enemy disposition:
The 33rd Motorized Rifle Battalion of the 80th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 14th Army Corps strikes Ukrainian positions in Korenyok, Sumy Oblast.
The 79th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 18th Motorized Rifle Division of the 11th Army Corps strikes Ukrainian positions in Kolodyazne.
Units of the 1427th, 1468th, and 1843rd Motorized Rifle Regiments of the 6th Combined Arms Army operate in the center and on the northeastern outskirts of Kupyansk, encircled by Ukrainian Defense Forces.
The 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the 255th Motorized Rifle Regiment, the 944th Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment of the 20th Motorized Rifle Division, and the 238th Artillery Brigade of the 8th Combined Arms Army strike Ukrainian positions near Mykolaypillya; the 58th Separate SOF Battalion of the 51st Combined Arms Army and units of the “Rubikon” Center for Advanced Unmanned Technologies strike Ukrainian positions on the Kostyantynivka Direction.
The 9th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 51st Combined Arms Army operates in Rodynske; the 71st Separate SOF Battalion of the 2nd Combined Arms Army operates in Pokrovsk; units of the “Rubikon” Center for Advanced Unmanned Technologies strike Ukrainian forces near Hryshyne; the 57th Separate SOF Company of the 8th Combined Arms Army and the 80th Separate Reconnaissance Battalion of the 51st Combined Arms Army operate in Myrnohrad.
The 394th Motorized Rifle Regiment and the 1171st Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment of the 127th Motorized Rifle Division of the 5th Combined Arms Army operate near Huliaypole.
Possible operation situation developments:
On the Southern Slobozhanske Direction, the enemy will attempt to capture Vovchansk, 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 (elements of the 6th Combined Arms Army, the 11th and the 44th Army Corps). These actions will slow the enemy advance along the eastern bank of the Siverskyi Donets to Bilyi Kolodyaz, 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.
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 section.
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 28.12.25
Personnel - almost 1,204 510 (+1,200);
Tanks – 11,469 (+5);
Armored combat vehicles ‒ 23,831 (+8);
Artillery systems – 35,557 (+15);
Multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) – 1,581 (+2);
Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 1,264 (0);
Vehicles and fuel tanks – 71,778 (+166);
Aircraft - 434 (0);
Helicopters – 347 (0);
UAV operational and tactical level – 96,227 (+688);
Intercepted cruise and other missiles – 4,136 (+29);
Boats/ships – 30 (0).
Humanitarian + general:
On the night of 28 December, Russian forces attacked Ukraine with 48 UAVs, including about 30 of the Shahed type. According to the Air Force, Ukrainian air defense shot down or suppressed 30 enemy drones. At the same time, impacts by 18 UAVs were recorded at 9 locations.
At night, Russian occupation forces struck residential areas and critical infrastructure in Kherson, leaving part of the city without electricity. During the day, the Russian Federation again shelled the Kherson Thermal Power Plant with artillery, which is the only source of heat in the city. A female employee of the plant was wounded, and the TPP sustained significant damage. In total, 10 people were wounded in the city during the day.
At night, Russian occupiers attacked two districts of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, using heavy artillery and UAVs. According to the acting head of the Oblast Military Administration, Vladyslav Haivanenko, in Nikopol five apartment buildings and an educational institution were damaged, while in the Vasylkivska community of Synelnykove district, as a result of drone attacks, two private houses, a farm, and a gas pipeline were damaged. According to preliminary data, there are no fatalities or civilian casualties.
In the evening of 27 December, a Russian strike UAV hit the roof of a two-story residential building in the Prymorskyi district of Odesa, causing a fire. As a result of the attack, damage to social facilities was also recorded. No information on casualties was reported. In the morning, the Russian Federation continued to attack Odesa and Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi.
On the morning of 28 December, Russian occupiers dropped FAB-250 aerial bombs with UMPK on Sloviansk in Donetsk Oblast. As a result of the attack, a 51-year-old man was killed in his own yard, and three more residents—an elderly married couple and an 88-year-old pensioner—sustained mine-blast injuries and wounds. Damage to at least 44 households and four vehicles was recorded in the city.
In the Mykolaiv community of Sumy Oblast, Russian military personnel attacked a woman with a drone, wounding her.
As of the morning of 28 December, DTEK energy workers restored electricity to 347,000 households in Kyiv Oblast after a massive Russian attack. At the same time, more than 10,000 households in Vyshhorod district remain without power. The situation is also difficult in Boryspil and Brovary districts, where regular schedules are not in effect. Electricity is supplied in intervals: 3 hours with power, 6 hours without. In Kyiv, mobile boiler units are being used to heat hospitals. They were connected to 6 medical facilities in different districts of the capital. Water supply in Kyiv and the Oblast has been fully restored.
Repair work began on a power transmission line near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant occupied by Russia after another local ceasefire between Ukraine and the Russian Federation, achieved with mediation by the IAEA. According to the IAEA, its team is monitoring the repairs, which are expected to last several days, as part of ongoing efforts to prevent a nuclear accident during the military conflict.
Excellent granular breakdown of operations. That note about local civilians in Donetsk rear areas providing 'mass assistance' to enemy infiltration groups is chilling and probably doesn't get enough attention. I've seen similiar patterns in other prolonged conflicts where prolonged occupation creates these intel vulnerabilities but seeing it framed as a 'threatening trend' in official analysis makes it clear this is becoming a serious operational problem for Ukrainian forces.