On Dec. 15, the European Union imposed sanctions on the International Russophile Movement, or IRM. Few people had heard of it, but over the past three years it has effectively replaced official pro-Kr...

Huliaipole front remains unstableAfter a slight decrease in combat intensity related to the Russian forces' need to straighten the front line and receive reinforcements, the Russians once again rushed to storm Huliaipole from three directions. One of the most critical was the offensive from the south from Marfopil, where the Russian troops already had a bridgehead on the right bank of the Haichur River. This meant they didn't need to cross the river to breach Ukrainian defenses and enter the southern outskirts of the city, and then push further toward the central districts. Simultaneously, advancing from the left bank of the river, Russian forces not only occupied this entire part of Huliaipole but also gained the ability to cross the river in many places. Battles are currently ongoing for the entire southeastern part of the city, which has found itself caught in a pincer of Russian attacks. However, further north, the Ukrainian Defense Forces control all central districts, holding the front line along the river.Meanwhile, the Russian forces are attempting to advance along a broad front toward the Huliaipole-Pokrovske highway to gain the opportunity to advance on the city from the north as well. The highway is completely under Russian fire control, and their assault groups are regularly destroyed on the approaches to Varvarivka and Dobropillia—villages located along the road. Most likely, Ukrainian fighters will soon withdraw from these villages to the hills that rise on the right bank of the Haichur. However, it won't be easy for the Russians to establish themselves in Varvarivka and Dobropillia, since attacking from the lowlands, they're exposed as if on an open palm.Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad will either fall together or stand togetherThe Ukrainian Defense Forces in both cities depend on each other. If northern Pokrovsk falls, then Myrnohrad won't be able to hold out for long, and vice versa. In Myrnohrad, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have established a circular defense in the central districts, which the Russians cannot yet infiltrate. However, supply problems are taking their toll and will be the determining factor in how long the city remains under Ukrainian control. Currently, Myrnohrad is in a complete ring of fire, and supplies are delivered in limited quantities, mainly by drones.In Pokrovsk, Russian forces are attacking the northern districts along three directions: flanking strikes on Hryshyne and Rivne, as well as a frontal assault on districts near the dinas plant. Here, Russian forces managed to cross the main road from Pokrovsk to Myrnohrad, along which the Ukrainian Armed Forces hold the front line. In addition, Putin's assault groups have pushed even further and expanded the gray zone south of Rodynske, thereby further complicating logistics to the cities.On the Dobropillia axis, Russian forces are actively pushing through across the Kazennyi Torets River using mechanized components and making incursions into Shakhove. The southern part of the village has gradually come under their control, but the Ukrainian Armed Forces hold the rest of Shakhove and prevent unimpeded river crossings by destroying Russian armored vehicles. In the area of Zapovidne and Maiak, Russian forces have expanded their zone of control and are using this bridgehead to advance toward Dorozhnie. However, the river combined with Ukrainian drones still remains an uncomfortable barrier that prevents the Russians from accumulating sufficient resources for a full-scale offensive.Without deploying additional Defense Forces resources here, it's impossible to even plan the deblockade of Myrnohrad from the direction of Rodynske and Chervonyi Lyman.But these same resources are also needed to stabilize the situation on the Sloviansk axis.Domino effect on the Siversk frontThe Ukrainian Armed Forces have almost withdrawn from Siversk to the heights behind the city. Although Ukrainian drones maintain the front line along the Bakhmutka River, which flows through the middle of the fortress that held back the advance on Sloviansk for three years. However, from the north and south, the Russians are trying to wedge into Ukrainian defensive positions. In recent days, they finally occupied Serebrianka and expanded their zone of control toward Dronivka. Simultaneously, Russian forces are advancing from Yampil toward Zakitne. Thus, Ukrainian positions that ended up north of Siversk could find themselves in a very difficult situation. Especially if the front line continues to move west from Siversk. The prerequisite for this could be a Russian breakthrough near Sviato-Pokrovsk, where they are attempting to storm Ukrainian positions on the heights. It was this breakthrough that prompted the Ukrainian Armed Forces' withdrawal from many positions south of Siversk, where, in particular, the Russians not only occupied Vyimka, Pereizne, and Fedorivka but are also making another attempt to climb the heights in the area of Pazyno village. However, they haven't managed to establish themselves there yet. Breaking through and advancing along these heights threatens the collapse of Ukrainian defenses along a fairly significant section of the front from Chasiv Yar to the Siverskyi Donets, which is on the outskirts of Sloviansk. And this would mean the beginning of an offensive on Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.Kupiansk almost liberatedWhile Putin announces the encirclement of 3,500 Ukrainian troops in Kupiansk, his henchmen are trying with all their might to somehow justify these claims and are constantly storming the northern outskirts of Kupiansk from the bridgehead near Dvorichna. They are doing poorly at this. They lack the resources they had previously accumulated over more than six months. For a new assault on the city, they will have to wait at least as long again. Especially since the Russian Armed Forces have no free resources, as all are engaged on other, equally hot fronts.Accordingly, the current situation will cause a halt to the offensive along the entire border in the Kharkiv region. The Russians lack the forces to finally occupy Vovchansk or advance further in the area of Odradne or Dvorichna, not to mention plans to create a multi-kilometer demilitarized zone along the entire border. As they planned after capturing Kupiansk.At the same time, the Ukrainian Armed Forces managed to clear a significant part of the city's central districts in a week. Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi stated that the city is 90% liberated. Fighters on the ground speak of 75-80%, but in any case, the trends indicate that in a couple of weeks, Putin will have to invent some new lies about Ukrainian Armed Forces' atrocities. Perhaps they will drop a large number of bombs on the city to justify its loss and cover up their führer's embarrassment in the media. But already now, the Kupiansk operation has provided Ukraine with a strategic advantage, demonstrating the ability to defeat a numerically superior enemy on the battlefield through quality and motivation.The maps were created based on information received from the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ General Staff, as well as from other open and verified sources. At the same time, the maps are not maximally accurate and only conditionally reflect trends in the combat zone.

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