Ukrainian forces advance southeast of Kupiansk – ISW

The relevant statement was made by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

According to the analysts, a Russian milblogger claimed that Ukrainian forces counterattacked near Orlianka (southeast of Kupiansk) and achieved partial success. However, the ISW has not observed confirmation of this claim.

Russian and Ukrainian sources stated that positional fighting continued northeast of Kupiansk near Synkivka, southwest of Svatove near Makiivka, and southwest of Kreminna near Dibrova and the Serebrianske forest area.

Ukrainian Ground Forces Command Spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Volodymyr Fitio noted that Ukrainian forces are conducting an active defense in the Kupiansk, Lyman, and Bakhmut directions and are conducting ground attacks when possible.

Russian and Ukrainian forces continued positional engagements near Bakhmut on December 31, but there were no changes to the frontline in this area, according to the ISW.

Referring to Russian and Ukrainian sources, the ISW stated that positional fighting continued northwest of Bakhmut near Bohdanivka and southwest of Bakhmut near Klishchiivka and Andriivka.