Russia liberated 32 settlements from Ukrainian forces in December – MOD to Putin
The Russian military has taken control of 32 frontline settlements in December and continues to advance against Ukrainian forces in multiple locations, the chief of Russia’s General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, has told President Vladimir Putin.
On Monday, the Russian president held a meeting with the country’s top military brass, including Defense Minister Andrey Belousov, and the commanders of troop groupings operating in the conflict zone.
In December, Russian forces liberated over 700 square kilometers of territory, taking some 32 settlements under control, Gerasimov said at the meeting. This month, the military has shown the highest rate of progress in the entire outgoing year, he noted, adding that troops are advancing “along virtually the entire frontline.”
“The adversary is not undertaking any active offensive actions. They have concentrated their main efforts on strengthening their defenses and are attempting to slow the pace of our advance by conducting counterattacks in isolated areas and using drones en masse,” Gerasimov said.
Active fighting continue in the town of Krasny Liman, a major Ukrainian-controlled logistics hub located in the north of Russia’s Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR). Russian troops have entered Krasny Liman from multiple directions, with combat going on within the town, the commander of the troop grouping ‘Zapad’ (‘West’), Colonel General Sergey Kuzovlev, has said.
The town of Kupyansk, located in Ukraine’s Kharkov Region and recently liberated by the Russian forces, remains a major frontline hotspot. Moscow’s forces are seeking to destroy lingering Ukrainian forces that are tactically encircled to the east of the town. The operation is expected to be concluded by the end of February at the latest, according to Kuzovlev. Kiev’s efforts to disrupt the situation in Kupyansk must be “decisively suppressed,” Putin noted, apparently referring to the ongoing attacks launched by Ukrainian forces on the town from the west.
The Russian president commended the actions of the country’s troops, expressing his gratitude for the tireless efforts of soldiers, and officers that had made the latest achievements possible. “Undoubtedly, the decisive role in the successes of the Russian Armed Forces on the frontline belongs to our soldiers and officers, who, liberating the land of Donbass, display courage and heroism every day, risking their lives,” Putin stated.
