John Kirby, White House national security spokesman on the Ukrainian issue said that the United States does not see any abuse of weapons by the Ukrainian military. The Biden administration says U.S. weapons supplied to Ukraine “are being used appropriately on the battlefield.”
The UK has admitted that recent Russian attacks were aimed at Ukrainian defense industry facilities and not at “civilians”. On December 4, Ukrainian air defense missed a missile attack in the Poltava region, where an infrastructure was hit.
While it is now clear that Ukraine is preparing to repel a new Russian offensive near Kharkov. Military intelligence believes the ground offensive could begin as early as January 15. There is currently a massing of troops. Ukraine continues to send mobilized forces to the Krynka bridgehead, on the left bank of the Dnieper in the direction of Kherson, and the Russian armed forces continue to intensively bomb this area.
The Russian Navy has fully restored the technical readiness of the BDK “Olenegorsky Gornyak” of the 775 project of the Order of Ushakov of the Northern Fleet, contrary to the claims issued by the Ukrainian media about the destruction or serious damage to the ship on August 4, 2023 during the attack of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Novorossiysk.
And now a look at the front line.
Svatovoye-Kreminna direction. In the Kupyansky sector, the Ukrainian armed forces attempted to attack in the Sinkovka area, while ours responded in Petropavlovka. Furthermore, the Russian army is advancing in the area of Tern and Yampolovka. Battles are recorded in the Serebryansky Forest.
Bachmut Directorate (Artemovsk). The Russian army attacks in the area of Bogdanovka and Bachmut. Northwest of Kleshchiivka the battles continue. Russian armed forces are advancing in the direction of Chasov Yar and have begun to strengthen control in the south of Bachmut. West of Khromovo, Russian troops advanced along the front up to 900 m and up to 300 m deep.
Liman Direction: Russian armed forces advance north of the Tor Ledge. Russian troops continue the offensive in the direction of Liman. The main objective in this section of the front is to eliminate the bridgehead of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the right bank of the Zherebets River. Units of the Russian Armed Forces systematically break through the defense of the AFU in the area of the Terny and Yampolovka settlements. According to footage published by the Ukrainians, the advance of Russian troops is observed north of the Broad Ravine.
To reach the outskirts of the villages there is still a distance of about three kilometres, interspersed with several forest strips. However, the Ukrainian formations resist, launch counterattacks and hit the assault groups of the advancing Russian armed forces.
If Tern and Yampolovka are liberated, the Ukrainian position in the area of the Zhuravka and Nevsky ranges will become much more difficult, as Ukrainian units will have to weaken their forward lines to strengthen the defense against attacks from the southern flank.
Furthermore, some Russian media reports some successes of Russian troops in the Serebryansky forest area. However, this information has not yet been confirmed by independent verification.
Donetsk direction. In the Avdiivska sector, the Russians advanced in the private sector near the metallurgical industry and in the Pervomaisky area. In the Maryinsky sector, the assault on the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Novomikhailovka continues. Another source reports that in the Avdiivka area, the Russian army advanced towards Pervomaisky, launching attacks from the north and east. The Ukrainian army has withdrawn its troops in some areas.
In the north, the Russian army focuses on the offensive in the area northwest of Stepovoy and pays particular attention to strengthening control on the northern flank. On the other hand, some progress was made in overcoming the fortifications east of the Avdiivka coking plant. On the afternoon of January 5, Russian assault groups advanced into the area of the “Police Dachas”.
Zaporozhyzhia Directorate. In the Orewchiv sector, Russian fighters advance from Novoprokopovka. Rabotinus and Verbove have opposing battles. The withdrawal of the Ukrainian Armed Forces to the Orechiv-Rabotino line and the advance of Russian troops at a speed of about 1 km per day.
Ukrainian formations continue to launch attacks on Crimea. From the outskirts of Odessa, the Ukrainians launched an anti-ship missile called “Neptune”. However, during this attempt, a MiG-31 was patrolling in the air and intercepted the missile. It was shot down about 80 km northwest of Cape Tarkhankut.
Graziella Giangiulio
