Ukraine’s forces ended the week with a rare morale-boosting tactical success in the northeast, even as Russia maintained pressure along the Donetsk axis and stepped up long-range strikes aimed at damaging Ukraine’s power and heating systems as winter deepened. Across the frontline, the fighting remained defined by slow, intense infantry assaults, localized mechanized pushes, and extensive use of drones and guided bombs. Both sides continued to strike targets deep in each other’s rear areas.
The most notable development occurred around Kupiansk in the Kharkiv region. Ukrainian troops reportedly regained control of nearly 90% of the city, pushing Russian forces out of much of the urban area. Russia disputed the claim, and independent verification has been difficult due to restricted access and contested reporting. Still, Kupiansk stood out as one of the few areas where Ukrainian reports suggest a successful counterattack and regained territory. If maintained, this push could complicate Russian efforts to stabilize their positions west of the Oskil River and ease pressure on Ukrainian logistics in the northeast. Even small gains here carry political significance, as President Zelenskyy has emphasized that battlefield momentum influences Ukraine’s leverage in diplomacy.
In Donetsk, the fighting remained centered around the Pokrovsk–Myrnohrad area, characterized more by urban attrition than decisive breakthroughs. Ukrainian forces reported repelling unusually large mechanized assaults in and around Pokrovsk earlier in the week—an escalation from the smaller infantry tactics Russia has often used to slowly advance. Analysts suggest that even if Russia captures more of Pokrovsk, it is unlikely to trigger an immediate collapse across the theater. Instead, the risks for Ukraine are cumulative: loss of defensive depth, attrition of experienced units, and an increasingly challenging operational map that could shape international perceptions of the war.
Beyond Pokrovsk, Russia continued to press across the wider Donetsk “fortress belt.” Historical patterns suggest that capturing major urban centers takes months, and Russian advances often come at high cost and slow pace, even when Ukrainian lines are under strain. The week’s fighting was dominated by heavy shelling, drone strikes, and repeated probing attacks rather than a single decisive maneuver. For Ukraine, the challenge remains balancing the need to hold key positions against preserving combat power, with tactical withdrawals sometimes necessary to avoid encirclement and trade space for time.
The air and energy war was another key storyline. On December 13, a large-scale Russian strike caused major blackouts in Odesa and surrounding areas, affecting over a million households. Ukrainian officials said the attack involved more than 450 drones and 30 missiles, primarily targeting southern energy infrastructure, and caused disruptions to electricity and water supplies, along with multiple injuries. The strike reflects a familiar Russian winter strategy: targeting power generation and transmission infrastructure to force rolling outages, disrupt industry, and strain civilian morale. UN monitors reported that rising long-range attacks are a significant factor in increased civilian casualties this year.
Other Russian strikes highlighted the proximity of the frontline to populated areas. In Zaporizhzhia, guided aerial bombs hit residential areas and infrastructure, injuring dozens, including a child. Similar attacks across multiple regions have caused civilian casualties despite Ukraine’s air defenses intercepting many incoming threats. The cumulative effect has been a rhythm of disruption: emergency repairs, localized heating failures, strained municipal services, and repeated calls for more air-defense systems.
Ukraine, meanwhile, continued and sometimes escalated its long-range strike campaign against Russian fuel and logistics targets, aiming to disrupt supply chains and raise the cost of Russia’s war effort. On December 17, Russian authorities reported a fire at the Slavyansk refinery following a drone incident, part of a broader pattern of Ukrainian attacks on refineries, depots, and infrastructure. Other drone strikes have also caused casualties inside Russia, including attacks in Rostov and Saratov regions that killed and injured civilians. These cross-border operations carry political weight: Moscow frames them as justification for retaliatory strikes, while Kyiv sees them as legitimate actions to hinder Russia’s war capability.
Diplomatically, efforts continued to explore a framework for ending the war, but core territorial disputes remain unresolved. Talks in Berlin involved Ukrainian, American, and European negotiators, but Ukraine has consistently rejected recognizing occupied territories as Russian, while Russia continues to maintain maximalist demands. President Putin emphasized that Russia would seek to expand its gains if talks fail, while Zelenskyy urged European partners to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine’s defense, highlighting the financial stakes of prolonging the war.
International military support for Ukraine also continued, focusing on air defense, sustainment, and co-production to address the demands of winter and long-term combat. Kyiv announced new defense agreements with Germany totaling roughly €1.2 billion, including support for Patriot systems, while Germany approved major defense contracts. The UK also highlighted its role in strengthening Ukraine’s air defenses ahead of winter.
Compiled by Ana Dumbadze
