Russia’s war on Ukraine. 22.12.24

On the Kursk direction, Russian forces advanced to the southeastern outskirts of Daryino and the northern outskirts of Kruglenkoe. Units of the 76th Air Assault Division advanced east of Novoivanovka. The enemy attempted to advance toward Viktorovka, Leonidovo, north of Kruglenkoe, attacking Novoivanovka, Cherkasskoe Porechie, and Cherkasskya Konopelka, and clearing Russkoe Porechie.

The “Siversk” OTG counterattacked toward Pogrebki and east of Daryino, delivering long-range strikes on military targets in Kursk Oblast.

On the Kharkiv direction, Russian forces launched assaults near Kozacha Lopan and Vovchansk but failed.

The “Kharkiv” OTG carried out the first fully robotic attack near Lyptsi, destroying several enemy positions as a result.

On the Kupyansk direction, Russian forces attempted to advance near Zahryzove, conducted an assault southwest of Synkivka, and attacked near Petropavlivka, Kucherivka, Lozova, Hrekivka, Novoserhiyivka, and Zelenyi Hai.

Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled enemy attacks near Kucherivka and toward Zelenyi Hai.

On the Lyman direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled an enemy attack near Terny and launched attacks near Ivanivka, Yampolivka, Torske, Hryhorivka, and the Serhiivka forest area.

On the Siversk direction, Russian forces attempted assaults in the areas of Bilohorivka and Verkhnyokamianske but were unsuccessful.

Ukrainian Defense Forces are exhausting enemy troops, forcing the adversary to regroup

On the Kramatorsk direction, units of the 98th Airborne Division are fighting for the refractory materials plant in the center of Chasiv Yar and a boiler house south of the plant. The 200th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 14th Army Corps is advancing in the “Pivnichnyi” neighborhood past the railway tracks north of the refractory materials plant. The 4th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 3rd Army is attempting to expand its bridgehead on the western bank of the “Siverskyi Donets-Donbas” canal and near Stupochky.

On the Toretsk direction, Russian forces are fighting for Krymske, attempting to advance along Svitla Street in central Toretsk, near the “Tsentralna” mine, attacking the southern part of the “Zabalka” neighborhood, and the areas of Druzhba, Sukha Balka, and Leonidivka.

On the Pokrovsk direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces regained previously lost positions in the southern part of Pishchane and are conducting counterattacks across the direction.

Russian forces advanced to the T0515 road near Yasynove and Konstyantynopil, attacking near Myrolyubivka, Novooleksandrivka, Promin, Lysivka, Zelene, Dachenske, Shevchenkove, Novooleksiivka, Novyi Trud, Novoelyzavetivka, Novoolenivka, Novovasylivka, Vovkove, Pishchane, Solone, and Ukrainka.

On the Kurakhove direction, Russian forces advanced in the center of Zorya, west of Stari Terny toward Shevchenkove, south of Dachne, and in the area of Konstyantynopil. They captured most of Kurakhove and launched assaults in the areas of Sontsivka, Slovyanka, Petropavlivka, Andriivka, and near Dalnie, Hihant, Yantarne, Uspenivka, Bahatyr, Rozlyv, and Odradne.

Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked from Ulakli, near Konstyantynopil, Bahatyr, and Odradne.

On the Vremivka direction, Russian forces are clearing Novyi Komar, capturing Ukrainian positions near Rivnopil, attempting to cut off Ukrainian Defense Forces’ supply routes in the area of Velyka Novosilka, and deploying additional reserves. They continued their offensive near Rozdolne, Velyka Novosilka, and areas around Makarivka, Blahodatne, Novosilka, Novopil, and Novodarivka.

On the Orikhiv direction, Russian forces unsuccessfully attacked near Mala Tokmachka, Novoandriivka, and Pyatykhatky.

Ukrainian Defense Forces conducted assaults near Kamianske and Luhove.

On the Prydniprovskyi direction, Russian forces unsuccessfully attacked in the areas of the Kozatsky and Velykyi Potiomkin islands. After intensive artillery preparation, enemy reconnaissance and sabotage groups entrenched in positions in the dacha zone beyond the Antonivka bridge.

General conclusion:

• The Russian military command is redeploying tactical reserves to the Kramatorsk and Toretsk directions, intensifying assaults using fog and rain.
• Russian forces in the Pokrovsk direction face a shortage of armored vehicles and tanks, but the command of the “Tsentr (Center)” Operational Grouping is prepared to accept significant armor losses in exchange for slow advances. The operational-tactical importance of the enemy’s penetration south of Pokrovsk will increase in the near future. The enemy is intensively preparing to escalate offensives in the operational zone of the 41st Combined Arms Army.
• In the attack zones of the 27th Motorized Rifle Division of the 2nd Combined Arms Army and the 90th Tank Division of the 41st Combined Arms Army on the Pokrovsk and Kurakhove directions, the “Khortytsia” OGS continues to engage in heavy defensive battles. The 2nd Combined Arms Army’s command is regrouping forces in the tactical zone.
• The enemy struck the bridge over the Vovcha River between Konstyantynopil and Andriivka, attempting to complicate the supply and withdrawal of Defense Forces units from positions south of Kurakhove.

Change in the line of contact (LoC):

• There were 186 combat engagements on various fronts.
• On the Kharkiv direction, the enemy continued assault actions, with a total of 6 combat engagements. Fighting occurred in the areas of Kozacha Lopan, Vysoka Yaruha, and Vovchansk.
• On the Kupyansk direction, there were 4 enemy attacks. The Defense Forces repelled assaults near Petropavlivka and Kruhlyakivka.
• On the Lyman direction, the enemy attacked 20 times, attempting to advance near Zelenyi Hai, Hrekivka, Nadiya, Terny, and Ivanivka.
• Using aviation on the Siversk direction, the enemy attacked twice in the direction of Verkhnokamianske and Bilohorivka.
• On the Kramatorsk direction, the occupiers carried out 2 assaults near Stupochky.
• On the Toretsk direction, the enemy conducted 6 attacks in the areas of Toretsk and Druzhba.
• On the Pokrovsk direction. Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 29 enemy assaults near Myrolyubivka, Promin, Lysivka, Zelenyi, Novyi Trud, Dachenske, and Novovasylivka. The enemy actively used aviation.
• On the Kurakhove direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 15 attacks in the areas of Stari Terny, Kurakhove, and Dachne.
• On the Vremivka direction, the enemy conducted 47 attacks near Uspenivka, Yantarne, Konstyantynopolske, Novosilka, Blahodatne, and in the direction of Rozlyv and Odradne.
• On the Orikhiv direction, Ukrainian positions were attacked 7 times near Novoandriivka and Pyatykhatky.
• On the Prydniprovskyi direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 5 assaults; the enemy failed.
• On the Kursk direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 41 enemy attacks.
• In the Black Sea-Azov naval operational area, the enemy naval group on combat duty consists of:
  • Mediterranean Sea: 6 ships, including 3 cruise missile carriers; the total salvo is 25 cruise missiles.

Changes in the enemy disposition:

• The 6th Motorized Rifle Division of the 3rd Army Corps is advancing near Bila Hora.
• The 68th Tank Regiment of the 150th Motorized Rifle Division and the 33rd and 255th Motorized Rifle Regiments of the 20th Motorized Rifle Division of the 8th Combined Arms Army operate near Kurakhove.

Possible operation situation developments:

• On the Kupyansk direction, the enemy will make efforts to expand its bridgehead in the Dvorichna area.
• 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 Vremivka direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces will have to completely withdraw from the villages liberated during the 2023 offensive, located south of Velyka Novosilka, namely Makarivka, Neskuchne, and Storozhove.
• 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.
• By the end of the current year, the enemy will not succeed in seizing the “belt of fortresses” Kostyantynivka – Druzhkivka – Kramatorsk – Sloviansk or occupying Donetsk Oblast. The upcoming battle for Pokrovsk will mark the apex of the enemy’s offensive operation in the Southwestern Theater of Operations in 2024.
• The enemy’s military command in the theater of operations until March 2025 will be creating conditions to achieve the military-political goal of the “Special Military Operation”: reaching the administrative borders of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts and the junction of Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, and Donetsk Oblasts near the village of Temyrivka.

Russian operational losses from 24.02.22 to 22.12.24

Personnel – almost 774,100 (+1,820);

Tanks 9,609 (+15);

Armored combat vehicles – 19,870 (+29);

Artillery systems – 21,284 (+32);

Multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) – 1,256 (0);

Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 1,030 (+3);

Vehicles and fuel tanks – 31.972 (+81);

Aircraft – 369 (0);

Helicopters – 329 (0);

UAV operational and tactical level – 20,735 (+50);

Intercepted cruise missiles – 2,947 (0)

Boats/ships – 29 (0).

Humanitarian + general:

• During the night of December 22, the enemy attacked with 103 Shahed-type strike UAVs and other types of drones. Additionally, an Iskander-M ballistic missile launch was recorded. As of 10:00, Ukrainian Defense Forces had shot down 52 enemy UAVs, while 44 drones were lost from radar tracking and did not reach their targets.
• On November 22, Russian military executed four Ukrainian defenders taken prisoner during an assault in the Pokrovskyi district of Donetsk Oblast.
• Around 10 a.m., the Russian army shelled a residential area in Pokrovsk. An hour later, Russian forces shelled the village of Udachne in the Pokrovskyi district. As a result of the Russian shelling, a 25-year-old man was killed, and a 66-year-old woman was injured.
• Throughout the day, the Nikopolskyi district of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast suffered ten enemy attacks. Russian forces targeted the district with kamikaze drones and heavy artillery. During the shelling in Nikopol, a 35-year-old man was injured. There was damage to private homes and a church.
• In Beryslav, Kherson Oblast, a 30-year-old man was killed in a Russian drone attack.
• As a result of a Russian drone attack on December 22 in Kupiansk, Kharkiv Oblast, a 56-year-old civilian was severely injured. The injuries led to limb amputations.
• Late in the evening of December 21, Russian forces struck the Kherson district with 11 guided aerial bombs, including 7 KAB bombs targeting the village of Antonivka.
• Over the past day, Russian forces carried out 42 shellings of nine communities in Sumy Oblast. A total of 93 explosions were recorded.
• In Kherson Oblast, Russian occupiers are remotely scattering trap-like “hedgehogs” on roads. When a vehicle hits a “hedgehog,” the tire is damaged. After the car stops and an attempt is made to replace the tire, a drone carrying explosives arrives at the scene.

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