Russia’s war on Ukraine. 31.12.25
Operational situation
On the Northern Slobozhansky Direction, Russian forces attempted to advance along the railway line toward Pushkarne, attacked near Kindrativka, Andriivka, Yunakivka, Yablunivka, Varachyne, Sadky, and Hrabovske. The 30th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 72nd Motorized Rifle Division of the 44th Army Corps cannot conduct unit rotations due to UAV attacks by Ukrainian Defense Forces. The 1st Battalion of the 83rd Separate Air Assault Brigade near Yablunivka is exhausted and cut off from supply.
On the Southern Slobozhansky direction, Russian forces attacked near Vovchansk, Vovchanski Khutory, Starytsia, Prylipka, Milove, Khatnie, in the Direction of Hrafske, Izbytske, and Lyman, and struck Ukrainian forces in Velykyi Burluk with Geran-2 strike UAVs.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked near Lyman and Vilcha.
On the Kupyansk direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces advanced in northern Kupyansk and counterattacked near Palamarivka, Velyka Shapkivka, and Blahodativka.
A small enemy infantry group infiltrated in the northwest of Myrove. Russian forces attacked near and inside Kupyansk, in the direction of Kolodyazne, Petropavlivka, Pishchane, Druzhelyubivka, and Novoserhiyivka, and attempted to advance near Bohuslavka and Novoplatonivka.
The 15th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 2nd Motorized Rifle Division of the 1st Tank Army fought for Bohuslavka.
On the Lyman direction, Russian forces advanced to Sosnove and attacked near Yarova, Korovyi Yar, in the Direction of Oleksandrivka, and near Stavky, Kolodyazi, and Zarichne.
On the Sloviansk Direction, Russian forces attempted to advance northwest of Siversk, southwest of Dibrova, northwest of Ozerne, in Zakitne, attacked near Dronivka, Platonivka, Yampil, Pazeno, and in the Direction of Riznykivka.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked near Sviato-Pokrovske.
On the Kostyantynivka direction, Russian forces attacked near Kostyantynivka, Oleksandro-Shultyne, Shcherbynivka, Pleshchiivka, Rusyn Yar, and in the direction of Sofiivka, Stepanivka, and Novopavlivka.
On the Pokrovsk direction, Russian forces attempted to advance in the center of Toretske, attacked near Pankivka, Novyi Donbas, Ivanivka, Nove Shakhove, near and inside Pokrovsk, near Bilytske, Rodynske, Sukhetske, Krasnyi Lyman, Rivne, Novoekonomichne, Myrnohrad, Udachne, Molodetske, Kotlyne, in the Direction of Serhiivka, and near Hryshyne.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked near Nove Shakhove and Vilne, advanced in the southeastern part of Hryshyne, and are counterattacking near Rodynske.
On the Oleksandrivka direction, Russian forces attacked near and within Novopavlivka, near Novoserhiyivka, Filiya, Ivanivka, Yalta, Tovste, Verbove, Oleksandrohrad, Sichneve, and Vyshneve.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked from the Pokrovsk Direction.
On the Huliaypole Direction, Russian forces advanced to the railway west of Dobropillya, attacked near and within Huliaypole, near Bratske, in the Direction of Khrystoforivka, Kosivtseve, Ternuvate, Danylivka, Varvarivka, Solodke, Rybne, Pryvillya, Zlahoda, and in the Direction of Zaliznychne and Staroukrainka.
Ukrainian Defense Forces operate west of Nove Zaporizhzhia, counterattacked from Zaliznychne, used adverse weather conditions, and counterattacked across the Khaychur River near Dobropillya and Pryluky in the Direction of Rivnopillya and Solodke.
On the Orikhiv direction, Russian forces attempted to advance east and south of Prymorske, west of Stepnohirsk, attacked near Bilohirya, Shcherbaky, Prymorske, and Stepove, and in the Direction of Pavlivka and Novoyakovlivka.
On the Prydniprovske Direction, Russian forces attacked in the direction of the Antonivskyi Bridge.
General conclusion:
Russian forces in Kupyansk hold only isolated positions in building basements.
Russian forces continue attempts to penetrate into the Ukrainian rear in the Direction of Lyman, despite losses, using poor weather conditions.
On the Siversk Direction, the situation in Dronivka is difficult, but Ukrainian Defense Forces retain control of the village. Russian forces attempt to break through to Dronivka, crossing the Siverskyi Donets River almost daily from Yampil and the Serebriansk Forest to the west and northwest. The enemy also attempts to reach Dronivka from the southeast, attacking in small groups from Siversk. The center of Zakitne is a contested gray zone.
Russian forces do not control Kostyantynivka.
On the Pokrovsk Direction, Russian forces attack in small groups, using all-terrain vehicles (ATV) and motorcycles to transport infantry to the front line, and UAVs to provide subsequent support to infiltration groups.
Ukrainian Defense Forces used poor weather conditions for counterattacks on the Oleksandrivka Direction. Russian forces will need to regroup to increase the intensity of combat operations on Directions adjacent to Oleksandrivka in order to create conditions for an advance toward Pokrovsk. The enemy rarely uses unmanned ground vehicles (UGV) and vehicles due to Ukrainian anti-tank ditches and barbed wire. Infiltration groups receive an insufficient number of EW devices.
On the Zaporizhzhia Direction, the operational situation for Russian forces deteriorates. The enemy failed to hold positions in Novodanylivka and Mala Tokmachka, and Ukrainian Defense Forces maintain them under fire control from the heights above the Kinska River, which flows through Orikhiv. The occupiers will be unable to seize Prymorske as long as Ukrainian Defense Forces control the heights east of the town.
Supporting operation:
The Unmanned Systems Forces conducted a massive strike against a storage and launch-preparation base for Shahed strike UAVs at Donetsk Airport.
Change in the line of contact (LoC), directions of attacks and counterattacks:
There were 149 combat engagements on various fronts.
On the Northern Slobozhansky and Kursk directions, the enemy conducted 3 airstrikes.
On the Southern Slobozhansky and Kursk directions, the enemy attacked Ukrainian defensive positions 8 times near Vovchansk, Vovchanski Khutory, and Starytsia, and toward Izbytske and Lyman.
On the Kupyansk Direction, 4 combat engagements occurred. Ukrainian Defense Forces stopped enemy assault actions in the directions of Bohuslavka, Pishchane, and Shyikivka.
On the Lyman direction, the enemy attacked 10 times, attempting to wedge into Ukrainian defenses in the areas of Zarichne, Novoselivka, and Yampil, and toward Novoserhiyivka, Drobysheve, Stavky, and Druzhelyubivka.
On the Sloviansk direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces stopped 3 offensive actions by the invaders in the area of Dronivka and in the direction of Platonivka.
On the Kostyantynivka direction, the enemy conducted 18 attacks in the areas of Oleksandro-Shultyne, Shcherbynivka, Pleshchiivka, Kleban-Byk, and toward Kostyantynivka, Stepanivka, Novopavlivka, and Sofiivka.
On the Pokrovsk direction, 35 enemy assault actions were stopped in the areas of Rodynske, Chervonyi Lyman, Rivne, Pokrovsk, Myrnohrad, Kotlyne, Udachne, Molodetske, and Filiya, and toward Sukhetske, Hryshyne, and Novopavlivka.
On the Oleksandrivka direction, the enemy conducted 12 attacks yesterday in the areas of Yalta, Sichneve, Vyshneve, Pryvillya, Zlahoda, and Rybne, and in the directions of Dobropillya, Oleksandrohrad, and Danylivka.
On the Huliaypole Direction, 24 enemy attempts to advance were stopped in the areas of Solodke, Huliaypole, and Bilohirya, and toward Varvarivka.
On the Prydniprovske Direction, the enemy conducted 2 unsuccessful attempts to approach the positions of Ukrainian units.
Changes in the enemy disposition:
The 34th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 49th Combined Arms Army operates west of Hrabovske, the 15th Tank Regiment of the 69th Motorized Rifle Division of the 6th Combined Arms Army strikes Ukrainian forces near Myropillya, and units of the “Rubikon” Center for Advanced Unmanned Technologies and the 1st Battalion of the 217th Airborne Regiment of the 98th Airborne Division advance in the Direction of Sumy.
The 3rd Separate UAV Battalion of the 6th Combined Arms Army strikes Ukrainian forces in the center of Kupyansk.
Units of the “Rubikon” Center for Advanced Unmanned Technologies and the 349th Separate Signal Battalion of the 67th Motorized Rifle Division of the 25th Combined Arms Army operate in the Direction of Lyman.
Units of the “Rubikon” Center for Advanced Unmanned Technologies strike near Druzhkivka and Rozkishne, the 58th Separate SOF Battalion of the 51st Combined Arms Army fights on the western outskirts of Kostyantynivka, and the 57th Separate SOF Company of the 8th Combined Arms Army is engaged near Sofiivka and Shakhove.
The 56th Separate SOF Battalion of the 51st Combined Arms Army strikes in Novyi Donbas and Vilne, the 33rd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 20th Motorized Rifle Division of the 8th Combined Arms Army continues to advance in the Direction of Dobropillya, and the 5th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 51st Combined Arms Army and the 1435th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 2nd Combined Arms Army operate within Myrnohrad. Units of the “Rubikon” Center for Advanced Unmanned Technologies strike near Hryshyne, Pokrovsk, and Serhiivka.
The 14th Separate SOF Brigade strikes Ukrainian transport vehicles in Zaporizhzhia Oblast and Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.
The 38th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 35th Combined Arms Army strikes in Zaliznychne, and aviation of the 11th Air Force and Air Defense Army conducts airstrikes against Ukrainian forces near Prydorozhne.
The 4th Military Base of the 58th Combined Arms Army strikes near Preobrazhenka.
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’s 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. In the offensive zone of the 8th Combined Arms Army, the enemy will advance in the general direction of Volodymyrivka – Sofiivka.
The Pokrovsk–Myrnohrad defense area of the 7th Rapid Reaction Corps of the Air Assault Forces of Ukrainian Defense Forces will be seized by the enemy by the end of January 2026. By capturing Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad, the enemy gains the chance to launch an offensive toward Dobropillya and potentially break through rapidly, with the 2nd Combined Arms Army advancing from Pokrovsk and the 51st Combined Arms Army moving from the bridgehead on the Kazennyi Torets River. The command of the enemy “Tsentr (Center)” Operational Grouping will not be able to bypass/encircle the defense area of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from the flanks, as the Defense Forces firmly hold the Vilne – Novyi Donbas line, leaving only a frontal offensive on Dobropillya, which will entail enormous losses.
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 31.12.25
Personnel - almost 1,207 910 (+1,000);
Tanks – 11,481 (+4);
Armored combat vehicles ‒ 23,845 (+4);
Artillery systems – 35,642 (+34);
Multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) – 1586 (+1);
Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 1,266 (0);
Vehicles and fuel tanks – 72,247 (+127);
Aircraft - 434 (0);
Helicopters – 347 (0);
UAV operational and tactical level – 97,684 (+552);
Intercepted cruise and other missiles – 4,136 (0);
Boats/ships – 30 (0).
Humanitarian + general:
According to the UNITED24 platform, during 2025 Russia launched more than 60,000 guided aerial bombs at Ukraine, approximately 2,400 missiles of various types, and more than 100,000 UAVs. During this period, air raid alerts sounded across the country at least 19,033 times.
Beginning on the evening of December 30, Russian forces attacked Ukraine with 127 strike UAVs of the Shahed type, “Gerbera,” and other types. According to the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as of 08:00, 101 drones were neutralized, while impacts by 20 units were recorded at 11 different locations. About 80 of the launched platforms were specifically strike models of the “Shahed” type, and as of the morning of December 31 the enemy attack was still ongoing.
On the night of December 31, Russian forces carried out a massive strike UAV attack on Odesa Oblast, targeting civilian and energy infrastructure. As a result of the attack, electricity, water, and heat supply were cut off in part of the regional center. Enemy drones struck high-rise residential buildings in two districts of Odesa, causing fires in apartments, and also set fire to warehouses of a logistics company in the Oblast. Six people were injured in the shelling, including three children—an infant, an eight-year-old girl, and a teenager—and one of the wounded men is in serious condition.
At night, Russian forces again attacked energy infrastructure in Odesa Oblast, striking two DTEK energy facilities. The company reported significant damage, noting that restoring the equipment to operational condition will take time. In December alone, the enemy significantly damaged ten substations in the Oblast, and since the beginning of the year has attacked 25 energy facilities in the region.
On the night of Wednesday, December 31, Russian forces attacked the city of Bila Tserkva in Kyiv Oblast with UAVs; a high-rise residential building was damaged and two people were injured.
During the day on December 31, Russian forces attacked Novovorontsovka in Kherson Oblast, where a 47-year-old man was killed as a result of explosives dropped from a UAV. According to the Kherson Oblast Prosecutor’s Office, later in Bilozerka an explosive drop from a drone was also recorded, as a result of which a 52-year-old man was wounded.
Russian forces shelled with artillery and attacked with strike UAVs the Nikopol, Pavlohrad, Kryvyi Rih, and Synelnykove districts of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast; four people were injured and civilian objects were damaged.
DTEK energy workers restored electricity supply to more than 9,000 households in Vyshhorod, Kyiv Oblast that were left without power due to a massive Russian attack. During the attack, the enemy severely damaged a substation, so restoration work continued continuously for four days. At present, all households in the city again have electricity.
Since the start of the full-scale invasion, more than 10,000 Russian occupiers have been taken prisoner, and during the incomplete year of 2025 this number has exceeded the combined figures for 2022 and 2023. According to the Coordination Headquarters and the “I Want to Live” project, the social profile of the prisoners indicates that 30% do not have complete secondary education, 40% were previously convicted, and 38% were unemployed before the war. On average, between 60 and 90 servicemen of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation surrender each week, and since June 2023 a trend has been recorded whereby Russian soldiers are captured more often than Ukrainian ones.