In the Hulyaipole direction, Russian forces continued to advance in and around Hulyaipole, while Ukrainian forces began a series of counterattacks.

In the south, Ukrainian forces began their withdrawal from the fortifications south of Hulyaipole due to the threat of encirclement. Russian forces followed, occupying some positions in the treelines which had held since 2022. They also advanced from southern Hulyaipole to the highway, capturing additional positions there.

To the northwest, Russian forces advanced further west and entered the southwestern part of Hulyaipole, capturing positions along several different streets and the agricultural buildings. They are now attempting to push north to bypass the main Ukrainian stronghold in the high-rise district from the west; however, the Ukrainians have begun counterattacking, slowing the Russian progress. They also managed to capture the local high-school and are now fighting for the southern part of the apartment buildings.

Additionally, the Russians advanced north past the cemetery and entrenched along Chubarya Street. Other forces expanded their bridgehead over the Haichur River and captured a number of enterprises and houses. As a result, the remaining Ukrainian soldiers in eastern Hulyaipole have been operationally encircled.

In the north, Ukrainian forces brought in reinforcements to their shrinking bridgehead north of the Haichur River and began carrying out counterattacks. They were able to make some progress along Dachna and Hirska Streets, however they were unable to dislodge the Russians from the agricultural complex who have now resumed their assault operations in an attempt to eliminate the bridgehead once and for all.

+ ~7.27 km² in favour of Russia.
+ ~0.17 km² in favour of Ukraine.

Interactive map link: https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/1/edit?hl=en&mid=1thW9kqnDOaS2lAepLhLdzSX8Ur9Sc4k&ll

Regarding the situation in the Krasnopillya direction, Sumy Oblast:

In the early morning hours of December 20, Russian assault groups from the 34th Guards Motor Rifle Brigade crossed the international border and entered Vysoke, quickly capturing the village with minimal resistance. The Ukrainian 119th Territorial Defense Brigade withdrew to the large forests further west.

Shortly afterwards, Russian forces crossed the border at multiple points further south and entered the village of Hrabovske. Street fighting ensued; however, the Russians were able to bring in considerable amounts of infantry, forcing the Ukrainians to leave. 56 civilians resided there at the time, around 6 of which were evacuated by Ukrainian forces. The rest refused to leave. Russian soldiers evacuated the remaining 50 civilians, all of which are adults who signed waivers of evacuation, to Belgorod Oblast, while assault groups continued their attacks.

After occupying both Hrabovske and Vysoke, Russian forces secured the forests between them, which had a minimal Ukrainian presence due to their proximity to the border.

However, the main push was made further west from Hrabovske to the nearby village of Ryasne. Russian forces managed to penetrate west and capture parts of the forests there. Forward units have already entered the eastern part of Ryasne where fighting is now ongoing. 9 civilians have been evacuated by Ryasne by Ukrainian forces so far.

The Ukrainian defence here is held by a unit (119th brigade) which was recently pulled from the Serebryanskyi Forest in Luhansk Oblast to here, as this sector was a much quieter part of the frontline, meaning their combat capabilities are at least somewhat degraded. Currently, most defensive actions are being carried out by FPV drone operators, who are attempting to slow the Russian advance for the time being.

+ ~13.40 km² in favour of Russia.

Interactive map link: https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/1/edit?hl=en&mid=1thW9kqnDOaS2lAepLhLdzSX8Ur9Sc4k&ll

After almost 4 years, I think we've reached peak propaganda.

Remember Russian forces are simultaneously about to invade NATO and so desperate they're eating each other...

🇺🇸🇮🇷🇮🇱⚡- BREAKING: "Israel warned the US that an ongoing missile exercise and other unusual movements by Iran, especially of the IRGC, could be preparations for an attack against Israel," - Axios.

🇮🇷🇮🇱⚡- "Israeli intelligence has detected unusual IRGC movements," - Israeli Channel 13.

Probably nothing, but I'll keep an eye on it.

I'm sure most of you remember my extensive coverage of the last Israel-Iran war 😁

Russian forces have captured the village of Pishchane, Pokrovs'ke direction, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.

Pre-war population: ~18.
Total land area: ~0.26 km².

Russian forces have captured the village of Ostapivske, Pokrovs'ke direction, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.

Pre-war population: ~128.
Total land area: ~0.67 km².

High threat of Iskander-M launches from Crimea.

Iskander launch from Crimea. Presumably to Odesa Oblast.

Mayaky Bridge in Odesa Oblast is under attack from Gerans right now.

No aerial targets are detected yet.

The launch was Russian air defence work.

No Iskander threat for now.

(Part 1)

I'd like to make this post to clear some things up about the Ukrainian counterattacks in Kupyansk, my coverage of the events, and what this means for the war.

Firstly, let's look at the tactical side of things, and how people have reacted to it:

These Ukrainian counterattacks did not start when Deepstate posted their famous map update showing most of Kupyansk and the surrounding villages in blue, and multiple pockets of surrounded Russians. The counterattacks started back in early October, and I have been covering their progression since October 15 - nearly two months longer than Deepstate - and longer than almost anyone else on any platform.

This was not a surprise operation, but a prolonged, complex, and multi-stage operation that has taken place across multiple months. When I first started posting about Ukrainian gains in very important areas here - namely the advances north of the city towards Russian logistical routes - I was called out by countless Pro-Russian users for spreading "Ukrainian propaganda" and "only mapping off geolocations and Ukrainian sources". But... when well-known Russian sources and mappers began replicating my map changes in the following weeks, it was *largely* accepted as fact.

Remember, before Deepstate's announcement of the Ukrainian progress of Kupyansk on December 12, and Zelensky's propaganda video at the Kupyansk steel on the city's outskirts on the same day, there was significant consensus among most of the community who follows this war that there was either no Ukrainian counterattacks, or that they were limited and mostly unsuccessful.

Now, while I was covering the situation since October 15, I specifically began raising alarm bells for the Russian garrison in the western suburbs of the city on December 2, nearly 3 weeks ago. There, I stated "The situation could soon reach a critical point for Russian formations in the western part of the city." I was specifically referring to the Ukrainian attempts to cut off the Russian logistical routes in the north, and to encircle Russian groupings in the southwest. And, surely enough, other mappers replicated these changes afterwards.

What we've been experiencing recently is an almost identical phenomenon to what is seen constantly in the Pro-Ukrainian community, where Russian advances are denied for weeks, only for them to be accepted with a delay and the usual BS of "This place served its purpose as Russia suffered tens of thousands of casualties in trying to take it". We've all seen this narrative on tactically/strategically important places repeat itself over and over again, without fail.

The difference with Kupyansk that Russia is almost always on the front-foot and constantly maintains the initiative across nearly the entire frontline. When Pro-Russians are met with a sudden change in the tactical situation in such a critical sector, many end up replicating the age-old tactic employed by Pro-Ukrainians of delaying, delaying, delaying, and then shifting the goalposts once it becomes clear to everyone.

I expect that Ukraine will indeed secure the entirety of western Kupyansk, so it will be interesting to see how long it will take for many Pro-Russians who have denied this for so long to catch up.

Now, for the informational side of things:

The Kupyansk operation has had massive media and propaganda successes for Ukraine, due to the nature of how this war is covered by mainstream media. Zelensky's video on the outskirts of Kupyansk immediately went viral, with all mainstream media outlets instantly picking it up and spinning their usual narratives about the war and attempting to use it to suggest that it's a turning point for Ukraine or that it reflects a "dire situation" for Russia's "4-year 'special military operation'". It re-ignited the usual talk that we constantly see of "Zelensky is brave enough to visit his freedom fighters right on the frontline, while Putin remains in his nuclear bunker, too paranoid and scared to go anywhere, while his commanders send his troops into meat-wave attacks".

(Part 2)

Now of course, the Zelensky video at Kupyansk was "debunked" (I use quotations because the debunking is not completely definitive)... but how many of the hundreds of millions of ordinary people who don't actively follow this war will see that? It had the desired effect - even thought we might know what actually happened - and kept the general public thinking how they want them to.

But, while this has been a big informational success, and a decent tactical success overall for Ukraine, the trajectory of the attrition dealt by Russia continues largely unimpeded.

Russia is still winning, and other crucial sectors are still falling apart. The so-called "Pro-Ukrainians" continue to betray the country and people that they claim to support so strongly by ignoring the critical situations in Myrnohrad, Hulyaipole and Siversk.

The war, overall, remains unchanged, and continues to progress towards its obvious conclusion. Only then will the pro-Ukrainian goalposts shift so far away from their original place that the narrative as we know it collapses.

The Ukrainian GUR published footage showing one of their operatives setting fire to a Russian Su-30 and Su-27 fighter at Lipetsk-2 Airbase, Lipetsk Oblast.

Russian forces have captured the town of Vilcha, Bilyi Kolodyaz direction, Kharkiv Oblast.

Pre-war population: ~1,639.
Total land area: ~3.20 km².

The fighting for Vilcha lasted approximately 27 days.

You know the information space is bad when someone calls me "biased" or "unreliable" and I have to check their profile to see if they're calling me too Pro-Russian or too Pro-Ukrainian 🤣🤣