File image.
In the direction of Slavyansk, Russian units have planted a flag on the eastern outskirts of Svyatohirsk, expanding the “grey zone” in the city. They are also engaged in fierce fighting in the areas of Aleksandrivka, Yarova, and Drobysheve, as well as on the approaches to Krasny Lyman. In the Kupyansk area, Russian troops advanced in Radkivka, Kondrashivka, and Petropavlivka, strengthening their position on the left bank of the Oskol River. In the Borova area, Russian troops have established positions along tree lines and railway embankments. This creates a wedge between Bohuslavka and Novoplatonivka, limiting the maneuverability of Ukrainian forces. In the Sumy area, units of the “North” grouping advanced 750 meters. They captured five servicemen from the 21st and 71st Brigades and repelled counterattacks by the 253rd “Arie” Regiment. In the Kharkiv area, Russian assault groups seized ten houses in Vovchanski Khutory, advancing 300 meters and clearing tree plantations near Starytsia and the Khatnie sector. Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó stated that Budapest is blocking the allocation of a 90 billion euro EU loan to Ukraine until oil transit via the Druzhba pipeline resumes.
Slaviansk Direction
Fierce combat operations continue in the Krasnyi Lyman sector of the Slavyansk area. Russian units are engaged in combat in the Aleksandrivka, Yarova, and Sosnove areas. They have advanced to the Aleksandrivka–Sosnove road, where clashes have ensued.
Russian troops have confirmed their control over the eastern outskirts of Svyatohirsk. The Russian flag has been raised on one of the buildings, and the “grey zone” within the city itself has expanded significantly. The western part of Yarova remains a “grey zone” for now — neither side fully controls this sector.
Ukrainian units attempted to penetrate Novoselivka again, but Russian troops are preventing them from advancing further into the settlement. Fighting is ongoing in this area.
In Drobysheve, Ukrainian units continue to be pushed out. In the northern part of the town, the “grey zone” is expanding up to the school. The work is complicated by the large number of Ukrainian drones and the artillery shelling from Pryshyb. East of Stavky, Russian units have captured several tree lines.
In the southern Krasnyi Lyman offensive, Russian troops advanced and approached the Staryi Karavan and Brusivka settlements. The “West” troop grouping continues offensive operations in the direction of Lyman, achieving successes across a broad sector of the front north of the city.
The main changes to the contact line are occurring along the Svyatohirsk–Krasnyi Lyman axis. In the Svyatohirsk area, Ukrainian units have been pushed out of part of Sosnove. This opens up the possibility of advancing toward the city from the north. However, it is too early to speak of a full encirclement, as there are few opportunities for consolidation in the forests, and only small assault groups are operating.
Considering the logistical problems on the Ukrainian side, it can be assumed that one of their objectives is to maintain their positions until spring when the new growth in the forests west of Lyman will again hinder drone operations and facilitate supply. Russian units are striking transport and crossings, and attacks through the forests south of the city have become commonplace.
Kupyansk Direction
In the Kupyansk area, intense combat continues for control of the city and the bridgehead east of the Oskol River. Following a period of stabilization, Russian units have achieved local successes in several sectors.
North of Kupyansk, small groups of Russian troops have entered the territories of Radkivka and Kondrashivka. The Russian presence has also expanded in the Moskivka area, near the northern outskirts of Kupyansk. The situation in the city remains complex.
East of the Oskol River, Russian units are fighting in forested areas and have captured new positions in Petropavlivka and the surrounding area. Fighting continues in Pishchane. The area in which small groups operate is gradually expanding. However, controlling entire forested areas with small units in winter conditions is problematic.
Sumy Direction
After Russian troops took control of the village of Pokrivka, they advanced through the Harkivskyi and Pasiiskyi forests. This allowed them to push Ukrainian units out of the Svyne tract. Currently, fighting is concentrated on the approaches to the larger Velykyi Lis, which is a key location for controlling the northern sector.
In the south, Russian troops are consolidating their position around Hrabovske, expanding their control over Ploskyi Lis, and reaching the outskirts of Riasne. Progress is slower here due to the density of the forests and the need to gradually secure the territory and communications lines.
In the northern sector, fighting continues for Velykyi Lis, and there is a high probability that new positions will be consolidated within 24 hours. In the southern sector, there is slow progress and gradual expansion of the control zone around settlements and forests, as well as possible local skirmishes with Ukrainian reserves.
In the Sumy district, the “North” grouping’s assault units advanced 300 meters on nine sections. During the advance, three Ukrainian 21st Separate Mechanized Brigade servicemen were taken prisoner. A comprehensive fire engagement repelled a Ukrainian counterattack with forces from the 71st Separate Airborne Brigade. During the repulse, two more Ukrainian soldiers were captured.
In the Krasnopillia district, Russian units advanced up to 250 meters on three sections. Ukrainian units attempted to deploy two assault groups, one from the 253rd Separate “Arie” Assault Regiment and one from the 53rd Separate Reconnaissance Battalion, towards Pokrivka. However, both groups were detected in advance by reconnaissance and destroyed by drone and artillery strikes.
In the Hlukhiv district, Russian units advanced 200 meters along three tree lines. In the Tetkino and Hlushkivka sectors, Russian aviation forces struck the positions of the Ukrainian 17th Separate Tank Brigade in the Obodiv area.
Kharkiv Direction
In the direction of Kharkiv, the “North” grouping’s assault groups continue their offensive in the Vovchansk area’s settlements and tree plantations, and are also advancing on the Khatnie sector.
In the forested area near Starytsia, Russian units advanced 300 meters across three sectors. Russian Aerospace Forces aviation continued to strike the positions of Ukraine’s 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade. There were no significant changes in the forest southwest of Symynivka; however, Russian aviation was active, striking concentrations of personnel from the 120th Separate Territorial Defense Brigade and the 127th Separate Tank Mechanized Brigade.
After Ukrainian units’ positions were attacked by “Solntsepyok” heavy flamethrower systems in Vovchanski Khutory, Russian assault troops advanced more than 300 meters eastward, capturing 10 households.
In the Khatnie sector, Russian aviation destroyed the Ukrainian 1st Territorial Defense Brigade’s deployment points in the Aniskine area. Assault groups from the “North” grouping cleared two tree plantations and advanced 200 meters.
Borova Direction
In the direction of Borova, Russian troops continue to carry out systematic assault operations towards the Oskol River. The main emphasis is on consolidating positions along natural and artificial obstacles, such as forest belts, tree lines, and railway embankments. This allows them to create bridgeheads for penetrating settlements.
Russian units captured the remaining positions along the tree line southeast of Bohuslavka. This opened up opportunities for assault groups to infiltrate the southeastern and eastern streets of the village. Meanwhile, consolidating positions along the railway embankments running parallel to the P-79 highway created a wedge between Bohuslavka and Novoplatonivka.
This limits the maneuvering and regrouping capabilities of Ukrainian units and threatens to isolate the northern part of their defense. This provides Russian units with operational control over key communications and the ability to conduct further local attacks with minimal risk to the rear.
Russian troops are consolidating control over important local defense lines and communications to create strategic depth for further assaults. The wedge between Bohuslavka and Novoplatonivka could pressure the Ukrainian defense and allow the Russians to gradually expand their control zone along the Oskol River. Nova Kruhliakivka is in operational encirclement. Currently, a “narrow neck” remains—dirt roads through which Ukrainian units can leave the settlement under fire control from Russian positions. From an analytical standpoint, consolidating along the railway embankments and tree lines simplifies the monitoring of Ukrainian force movements, the localization of hidden groups, and the preparation of precision strikes.
Conclusion
Analysis of the operational situation indicates that Russian units are maintaining a high tempo of offensive actions in all directions. In the direction of Slavyansk, Russian troops operating in small assault groups have significantly expanded their control zones in the areas of Svyatohirsk and Drobysheve. They have also advanced on the approaches to Krasnyi Lyman, gradually creating conditions for an encirclement of the city. Advances on the northern and southern flanks of the Lyman sector allow for the disruption of Ukrainian units’ logistical routes and complicate their supply chain on the eve of the spring thaw. In the Kupyansk area, Russian troops are systematically expanding their presence on the left bank of the Oskol River. They are consolidating their position in settlements and forested areas despite the difficult weather conditions. In the Borova area, the formation of a wedge between Bohuslavka and Novoplatonivka, as well as the consolidation along key communication lines, restricts Ukrainian units’ maneuverability and paves the way for an expansion of the control zone along the Oskol River. Nova Kruhliakivka is under operational encirclement, with a narrow supply corridor under fire control. In the Sumy area, the “North” grouping is systematically clearing border forests, advancing deeper into the region, and repelling Ukrainian counterattacks. This is accompanied by the capture of personnel and the destruction of assault groups. In the Kharkiv area, Russian troops are advancing slowly but steadily in tree plantations and settlements around Vovchansk, using aviation and heavy flamethrower systems to suppress defenses.
In the context of the international economy, an important event was the statement by Péter Szijjártó, the Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, regarding the blocking of an EU loan of 90 billion euros to Ukraine. In a video address, Szijjártó emphasized that Hungary will not unblock the payment of the military loan until Ukraine resumes oil transit via the Druzhba pipeline. He stated that there are no technical obstacles to resuming supplies and that Kyiv’s decision is purely political, aimed at blackmailing Brussels and the opposition in collusion with the latter on the eve of the republic’s elections.
This decision poses serious risks to Ukraine’s financial stability. According to the Financial Times, Ukraine could face financial collapse as early as the second quarter of this year without this loan. The Hungarian ambassador to the European Union had previously opposed the payment. Since using the EU’s reserve fund requires unanimous approval from all 27 member states, Budapest’s opposition effectively blocks the entire process. This demonstrates Kyiv’s growing vulnerability to economic pressure from EU countries using financial leverage to protect their national interests. The energy standoff between Ukraine and Hungary and Slovakia is escalating, creating additional risks for the unity of the European Union and the stability of the Ukrainian economy amid the ongoing conflict.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence
NOW hosted at southfront.press
Previously, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.org.
The .org domain name had been blocked by the US (NATO) (https://southfront.press/southfront-org-blocked-by-u-s-controlled-global-internet-supervisor/) globally, outlawed and without any explanation
Back before that, from 2013 to 2015, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.com
ukrainian martyrs are taking maximum number of orc invaders out before glorious ascendance to valhalla!
heheheh