Brief Frontline Report – January 16th, 2026

Summary by Marat Khairullin and Mikhail Popov (apologies for the late translation - Zin)

Report from the Russian Ministry of Defense: "Units of the 'South' Group have liberated the settlement of Zakotnoe in the Donetsk People's Republic as a result of decisive actions."

Slavyansk Direction, area of Seversk to Raigorodok. Yellow dashed line: Line of Combat Contact November 24, 2025. Blue barrier line: 1st Slavyansk to Konstantinovka line of defense.

Northwest DPR; Area of Seversk - Slavyansk - Konstsntinovka. Yellow line with red dots: Line of Combat Contact October 10th, 2025.

Russian Armed Forces have advanced near the northern base of the Seversk salient. Assault units of the 7th Guards Motor Rifle Brigade crossed the Severskyi Donets River and, supported on their left flank by neighboring units from the locality of Platonovka, liberated the large settlement of Zakotnoe (48°53′47″ N 37°57′57″ E, population 573 in 2001). It stretches 4.5 kilometers from east to west, from the Lugovoe area (which is also Zakotnoe, established in the 1960s during the construction of a dairy farm for 5,000 head of cattle) to a sharp bend in the Severskyi Donets River.

The advancing units of the Russian grouping have significantly improved the frontline situation along the Platonovka - Dibrova line, following the T-05-13 lateral road. Here, on a broad front, several bridgeheads have been prepared to solve tactical and operational tasks aimed at splitting the Seversk salient within the interfluve of the Severskyi Donets and Sukhaya rivers, and eliminating enemy strongholds in the forefield of the left flank of the main Ukrainian fortified area of Slavyansk-Kramatorsk-Konstantinovka.

Report from the Russian Ministry of Defense: "Units of the 'East' Group continue to advance into the depth of the enemy's defense and have liberated the settlement of Zhovtnevoe in Zaporozhye Oblast."

Map legend: the yellow line with red dots=Line of Combat Contact October 28th, 2025. Yellow Area=Activity.

While the enemy is butting its head against the wall of Russian defense in the city of Gulyaipole, units of the 394th Guards Motor Rifle Regiment of the Russian Armed Forces' 127th Motor Rifle Division have reached the left bank of the Gaichur River and liberated the settlement of Zhovtnevoe/Oktyabrskoe (47°43′32″ N 36°11′02″ E, population 43 in 2001. Known as Elenokonstantinovka since 2016).

Upstream at a distance of 2 km is the village of Zelenoe (liberated on 09.01.2026), and downstream at a distance of 2 km is the village of Priluki.

Control has been established over the exit of the Gorokhovaya Ravine, and a bridgehead is being prepared for the flanking envelopment of the Svyatopetrovka - Staroukrainka area and for a starting line to advance onto the watershed ridge along which the railway line runs.

The Russian Armed Forces are confidently advancing into the open terrain of the Gaichur - Verkhnyaya Tersa interfluve.