Brief report from the front, January 2, 2025
Report by Marat Khairullin with illustrations by Mikhail Popov.
(No map for Chasov Yar today)
In Chasov Yar, the main battles are taking place for the refractory plant. The enemy, realizing that its loss would mean not only the loss of the city, but also the capture by our troops of the heights that dominate a fairly large area around Chasov Yar, is putting up fierce resistance, periodically conducting counterattacks. Nevertheless, our units are gradually expanding the control zone in the northern part of the city. Separate groups are already working in the area of the railway station. The enemy is facing a threat of our pressure on the multi-story buildings in the city center not only from the Oktyabrsky microdistrict but also from the Severny microdistrict. Also, expanding control in the north of Chasov Yar will allow us to inflict greater damage on the supply of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in its central part, including on the territory of the refractory plant.
Active military actions continue in Toretsk. Russian units have advanced from the central market area to the north and west. The Russian Armed Forces have consolidated their positions in the area of school #5 and have approached the spoil heap of mine #10 (ШК #5 andТеррикон Шахты #10, respectively*). To the west of this spoil heap, our assault groups have advanced into the residential sector during attacks. The combat zone has almost reached the northwestern outskirts of the city here.
High levels of military activity continue in the direction of the Toretskaya mine (Шахта Торецкая). The Russian Armed Forces are increasing pressure on it, amassing forces in the Krymskoye area. There is fierce resistance from the enemy, including intensive use of drones.
In the Pokrovsk sector, the Russian Armed Forces have driven the enemy out of the settlement of Vozdvizhenka (Vozdvyzhenka). The Ukrainian Armed Forces are still present in the area of farms in the east of the settlement. They are being cleared.
West of Vozdvizhenka, they advanced into the pocket between it and Timofeevka (Tymofiivka), thus expanding the zone of control on the northern bank of the Kazenny Torets River.
From the area of the settlement Dachenskoe, Russian units advanced to the western part of the settlement of Lysovka. Fighting is underway in the area of a small forest located there and a stronghold next to it. Strengthening this area will allow the supply of the Ukrainian Armed Forces to be completely cut off here, leaving only the possibility of transport along field roads, which currently are difficult to traverse due to the weather.
From the settlement of Novy Trud/Vidrodzhennia, attacks continue along the railway in the direction of Chunishino (Chunyshyne) and Novoukrainka, creating a threat of reaching the rear of the Ukrainian Armed Forces units in the settlement of Zelenoe and the stronghold located near the turnoff to Lysovka from the M30 highway.
In the Volkovo (Vovkove) area, Russian units improved their positions and advanced west of the settlement by about a kilometer. The forward positions of our troops are now about two kilometers from the settlement of Kotlino (Kotlyne) and the road to Pokrovsk that runs there.
In Novovasilyevka (Novovasylivka), fighting is taking place in the western part of the settlement, where the enemy is relying on positions located in the area of farms. At the same time, the nearby Solenoe has come under the control of our fighters, which makes it possible to bypass both Novovasilyevka and Uspenovka from the north. Pressure began on Uspenovka from the south, where our units advanced along the ravine in the direction of Novoalexandrovskoe (Novooleksandrivka). And from this ravine, along the forest belts, they move toward Uspenovka.
In the Novoelizavetovka area, the enemy was driven out of both the settlement itself and the strongholds north of it, approaching Nadezhdovka (Nadiivka) from the east and north. The assault on this settlement can be expected to begin in the near future.
*When Russian letters are written by hand, the lower case "т" looks like a western "m" and "и" looks like a western "u."
Part 2: The Ukrainian Armed Forces' defense in the pocket between Shevchenko and Zelenovka continues to sag
In the Kurakhovo sector, assault groups entered Slavyanka and Petropavlovka. During the battles, our soldiers managed to gain a foothold in both settlements, thus breaking through the enemy's defenses built there. In Shevchenko, a cleanup operation is underway in the area of its western outskirts, where the enemy relies on a fortified area located near the farms. Fighting is underway for the fortified area north of Shevchenko. Here, one of the large strongholds has partially come under the control of our fighters.
The operation to liberate Kurakhovo is coming to an end. Most of the industrial zone is already under the control of Russian forces. Russian flags have been installed on the territory of the Kurakhovskaya TPP and the Elektrostal plant.
The battles are taking place for the Kurakhovsky Pipe Plant (Kurakhovsky Mechanical Plant), where the enemy is holding out only in its western part. South of Kurakhovo, the Russian Armed Forces advanced in a fortified area located along the forest belt leading to Dachnoe, taking control of more than half of this barrier. They also advanced west of Dalnee to the settling ponds.
During the assault operations from the Uspenovka area, our fighters captured a strong point on the bank of the Sukhie Yaly River, and the Russian forces approached Yantarne.
The defense of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the pocket between Shevchenko and Zelenovka continues to sag, and the situation there is becoming catastrophic for them. Considering both the activity of our troops and the weather conditions, the possibility of them leaving this pocket is becoming increasingly difficult.
In the Velikaya Novosyolka (Velyka Novosilka) area, Russian units continue their offensive actions and advance along the forest belts north of the settlement of Neskuchnoe in the direction of Vremevka. Fighting is also underway in the area of the road from the Gulyaipole (Hulyaipole) side. The Russian Armed Forces are making their coverage of Velikaya Novosyolka even stronger, taking tighter control of the remaining supply routes for the Ukrainian Armed Forces garrison there.
Ukrainian names and sometimes Russian Cyrillic in parenthesis *
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The detail is incredible. Fantastic work!!
This ain't no party
This ain't no disco
This ain't no foolin' around
(Life During Wartime, Talking Heads)
If all these mines that the Russians are constantly evicting the UAF from weren't of particular value then the metal and mineral recovery alone from 'shells, missiles' various give them added value.
Wouldn't surprise me if those dastardly Ukrainians have been instructed to gather up these fragments for the US MIC as Russia has stopped/sanctioned delivery of rare earth-metals/minerals various to that terrorist organisation.