On January 5, the Russian Defense Ministry reported repelling a Ukrainian push in the Kursk Oblast. According to the statement, Ukrainian forces launched the assault around 9 am Moscow time near the village of Berdine.
Captured in August 2023, the Kursk region represents the only territorial gains by the Ukrainian army on Russian soil. This includes Sudzha, a strategic city notable for its role as a transportation hub and its natural gas station, which supplied Europe until January 1.
The operation allegedly involved two tanks, a mine-clearing vehicle, 12 armored combat vehicles, and an estimated 2,000 Ukrainian troops. The Russian Ministry stated that artillery and aviation forces successfully repelled the attack. Additionally, three Ukrainian missiles were intercepted during the day.
Ukrainian officials described the attack as an attempt to surprise Russian forces. Andri Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s disinformation service, confirmed activity in the region. Ukrainian forces reportedly used electronic warfare to shield advancing units, with strikes also targeting the Kursk rear lines. This development mirrors tactics used in a similar incursion in the summer of 2024.
In the Donetsk Oblast, Russian troops continue their advance, according to the Institute for the Study of War. Geolocated imagery from January 4 indicates that Russian forces have recently advanced in the center of Lyssivka and northwest of Vovkove, suggesting the capture of the latter. These towns are near Pokrovsk, a crucial logistical and transportation hub that forms a critical part of Ukraine’s supply network in Donetsk.