File image.
In the Slaviansk sector, Russian “West” forces are intensifying their attacks on the northern approaches to the city. They are assaulting a major strongpoint near the Penkovyi Yar gully and expanding their control over the “Sviati Hory” park. In the Zaporizhzhia sector, the Russian army is advancing in the Prymorske area. Units have advanced north of the settlement and consolidated their positions in western Lukianivka. In the Kupiansk sector, the situation remains complex within the city limits, where both sides are fighting for control of key buildings, including administrative structures. In the Kharkiv sector, Russian assault groups are active in the Staritsa area and have advanced 450 meters in the forested area near Liman. In Brussels, serious disagreements persist regarding the creation of a special negotiator position to represent the European Union’s interests.
Slaviansk Sector
Several key areas of developing events can be identified in this sector. After establishing control over the Penkovyi Yar gully, the assault groups focused their efforts on attacking a large strongpoint nearby. Success in this area is critically important because it would enable fire control over logistical routes in the Stavky area. This would create opportunities to establish a bridgehead for concentrating forces and advancing towards Liman from the north. There are unconfirmed reports of combat clashes beginning on the outskirts of the city.
To the east, Russian units continued operations aimed at forming a semi-encirclement around the positions held along the Liman–Zarechne highway. Considering the current configuration of the front line and the effectiveness with which Russian units are countering drones, Ukrainian units in this sector may soon be cut off from regular supplies.
Meanwhile, in the “Sviati Hory” park area, the Russian 25th Army’s assault units have consolidated their gains and established control over another section of the road connecting Liman and Zakotne. Information indicates that groups have made contact with defense forces in the Lisnyi microdistrict in the southern part of the settlement. Fierce battles continue in the Dibrova area, where attempts to transfer reserves via the Siverskyi Donets River are met with strong opposition from the air. A significant number of these attempts are intercepted by drones operators while in motion.
Assessments suggest that the Russian Armed Forces have blocked all paved approaches to Liman, which has seriously complicated stable supply for its garrison. Under these conditions, there have been attempts to organize alternative supply routes, including constructing crossings and using boats to cross the Siverskyi Donets, as well as increasing the number of heavy strike drones. In order to fully blockade the city, units of the 25th Army must clear the extensive forested area southwest of Liman. The pace at which this task is completed will largely depend on the situation developing on the opposite flank, where battles for Drobysheve and Svyatohirsk are ongoing.
In the north, Russian units are advancing toward Svyatohirsk through forested areas from the Yarovaya railway platform along the Siverskyi Donets River. Ukrainian units had previously constructed fortifications on dominant heights there. Concurrently, actions to expand control along the river toward the Pryshyb village are underway. According to some reports, control has been established over an area of about nine square kilometers there. In southern Dibrova, Ukrainian command continues to make efforts to regain control, successfully thwarting all counterattack attempts along the river.
Following intense fighting, Russian forces gained control of a strongpoint on elevated ground in Zakotne, providing a tactical advantage in the area. Currently, they are conducting clearing operations in the eastern part of the village and directing fire at positions in the west, including the chalk slope area. Efforts are also underway to straighten the front line between the settlements of Platonivka and Reznikovka.
Success is developing on the southern section west of Vasiukivka, where forces have consolidated on the outskirts of the strategically important settlement of Nykyforivka. Ukrainian units use Nykyforivka as a logistical node.
Zaporizhzhia Sector
In the Zaporizhzhia sector, the Russian army continued its offensive operations to expand the bridgehead and advance toward the regional center. They are conducting combat operations on several interconnected sections, which creates complex pressure on the defense.
In the Prymorske area, units are advancing northward through the village, systematically expanding their control zone. Particular attention is being paid to eliminating reserves in neighboring Malokaterynivka, where drones launch points have been identified. Airborne units are actively using drones to monitor the situation.
In the Stepnohirsk area, the northern and central parts of the settlement have been cleared. Street fighting is not taking place, and drone operators are playing a key role. North of the settlement, a bridgehead is being formed for a subsequent offensive, and mopping-up operations are being conducted in tree lines. The terrain from Stepnohirsk to Hryhorivka is open. According to available information, defensive structures are mainly limited to dugouts in tree lines, which are often protected by barbed wire. A key task in this area is to establish control over the E-105 highway and advance northeast across the open terrain towards Hryhorivka. This would significantly reduce the distance to both the Zaporizhzhia-Orikhiv highway and the narrow sections of the Konka River. The Konka River is the last significant natural obstacle on the approaches to Zaporizhzhia.
An incident involving the demolition of a bridge over the Konka River occurred in the Hryhorivka area. There is conflicting data on which side carried out the demolition. According to one account, Russian troops blew up the bridge because Ukrainian forces had previously mined crossings in the western and eastern parts of the village (along the E105 highway and Lenina Street, respectively), planning to demolish them to hinder the Russian advance. According to this version, the swift advance of Russian troops directly to the bridge and the Ukrainian forces’ inability to stabilize the front line forced the demolition to be carried out earlier than planned. The destruction of this key route hindered logistics and limited maneuverability of reserves, complicating the evacuation and rotation process for units.
In the Lukianivka area, Russian troops consolidated their position in the western part of the settlement and captured a number of outbuildings in the southern part. Positions along tree lines to the south and southeast have been secured. Meanwhile, attacks on Novoyakovlevka and Novoboikivske continue.
In the Pavlivka area, Russian airborne units expanded their control zone by breaching the defenses from the west and entering the settlement, where heavy fighting continued. Overall, the successful actions in this area pose a serious threat to the defensive lines in the Kamyshuvakha area, which could lead to their destabilization.
Dnipropetrovsk Sector
In the Dnipropetrovsk sector, combat operations are localized with gradual advancement. Northeast of the Filiia settlement, Russian units have taken control of a sand quarry, a stone quarry, and the surrounding forests.
In the Novopavlivka area, Ukrainian troops slightly pulled back reserves to the east along the Solena River. Within the village itself, fighting is concentrated in the central area. The assault on the western part of the settlement is complicated by the presence of natural elevations that the defenders use to cover their positions and organize their firepower.
In Ivanivka, the combat zone has shifted to the western outskirts and the cemetery area. Beyond the cemetery is a fortification on farmland. The combat zone has also shifted northeast towards a gully.
Sumy Sector
In the Sumy district, assault groups advanced on eleven sections of the front. In the Krasnopillia district, they advanced on three sections. Overall, the advance in this sector amounted to up to 650 meters over the reporting period.
In the Varachyno area, an assault group’s attempt to advance on armored personnel carriers was thwarted. The group’s movement was detected in advance by reconnaissance, after which it was hit by combined fire.
Additionally, attempts at unit rotation were made in the Krasnopillia district. Both attempts were thwarted, and the transport involved was destroyed by firepower.
There were no significant changes in the line of contact on the Tetkino and Hlushkivka sections of the front. Aerospace Forces aviation delivered precision strikes on identified targets in the Iskriskivshchyna area.
Kharkiv Sector
The assault units of the Russian “North” grouping are maintaining activity and advancing on most sections of the front in the Kharkiv region. A wide range of strike assets are being used to support the offensive, while Ukrainian forces are mostly in defensive positions.
Advancement was noted on four sections in the area of the settlement Staritsa. The overall advance in this sector amounts to approximately 450 meters. Under pressure from the offensive, Ukrainian units are forced to abandon their positions while actively mining the trenches they leave behind and using drones for remote mining.
In the forested area near Liman, Russian units captured and consolidated a new section, advancing about 500 meters. In the Volchanskie Khutora area, assault groups captured and cleared four industrial buildings, advancing 250 meters.
In the Melovoye-Khatneye sector, clearing operations are underway in the tree lines near Dvorichna. Aviation strikes and attack drones targeted deployment points of units in the Chuhunivka and Velykyi Burluk areas.
Kupiansk Sector
The situation in Kupiansk remains extremely difficult. Neither side has full control over the city’s districts, nor is there a continuous front line. The situation is characterized by the activity of small Ukrainian groups that infiltrate the city, take up defensive positions in the basements and upper floors of multi-story buildings, and attempt to advance toward key locations such as the Kupiansk-Yuzhnyi station. These groups are regularly detected and neutralized. However, there are believed to be significant numbers of them within the city limits.
A key problem for both sides is organizing stable supply lines. Ground logistics are practically paralyzed due to constant artillery and drone attacks. At the same time, Russian units periodically experience shortages of heavy cargo drones, and Ukrainian units face similar difficulties with air supply. This limits their ability to rapidly accumulate reserves and ammunition.
Information about flags placed on administrative buildings in the city center is largely media-driven and demonstrative. For example, the incident involving a flag placed by a drone on one of the buildings, which was subsequently shot down, as well as a brief incursion by a small group into the administrative building, does not confirm the establishment of stable control over these areas. Similarly, reports of flags on the outskirts, such as in the Podoly area, do not necessarily reflect full control and may indicate the temporary presence of individual fighters who have infiltrated from Synkivka through forested areas. Ukrainian units maintain a stable presence in Petropavlivka, Kurylivka, and Kucherivka, areas subjected to daily airstrikes.
Conclusion
Thus, the operational situation on the front by the end of January was characterized by the continued high intensity of combat operations in all key sectors, with an emphasis on methodical tactical advancement. In the Slavyansk sector, efforts are focused on preparing for a potential assault on critical defense nodes. Units from the “West” grouping and the 25th Army are advancing from the north and east to isolate Liman and Svyatohirsk. In the Zaporizhzhia sector, the most significant developments are the expansion of the bridgehead near Prymorske and the advance toward Hryhorivka. There is also heavy fighting in Pavlivka, which poses a direct threat to the main defensive lines on the approaches to Zaporizhzhia. In the Sumy and Kharkiv sectors, local but constant attacks persist, enabling tactical advancement on several fronts amid active opposition from artillery and aviation.
Alongside ground operations, the struggle for logistics continues as both sides seek to paralyze each other’s supply lines by actively using drones and precision weapons. This is particularly evident in Kupiansk, where a positional stalemate and fragmented front line have turned the city into an arena of grueling small-group battles amid acute supply shortages for both sides. Overall, the situation indicates a transition to a stage of systematically compressing and isolating key Ukrainian strongpoints while increasing pressure across a broad front.
Against the backdrop of ongoing hostilities, discussions about the format of future negotiations persist in European political circles. According to the Western press, serious disagreements remain in Brussels regarding the creation of a position for a special negotiator who could represent the interests of the European Union. First discussed by EU leaders in March, the idea of such a special envoy involves narrowly focused representation of Brussels in dialogue with Kyiv. This initiative differs from the proposal to appoint an emissary for direct negotiations with Moscow, which has received mixed reactions from member states. According to reports, the key parameters of this potential role remain subjects of detailed elaboration and coordination, including whether the envoy would represent only the EU or a broader international coalition and whether the position should be filled by a Eurocrat or a sitting national leader.
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