22.12.2025
Ukrainian troops have achieved tactical advancement near Pokrovsk and in the border zone of the Belgorod region of Russia. ISW analysts note that these actions are taking place against the backdrop of the Kremlin’s attempts to create the illusion of a large-scale offensive in northern Ukraine. The real dynamics of the fighting indicate that the Ukrainian Armed Forces maintain the initiative in certain key areas of the front.
The information was released by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). This is a daily assessment of the Russian offensive campaign.
Advancement of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Belgorod region
Ukrainian units have made a limited cross-border advance in the border area of Belgorod region. Geolocation materials confirm the presence of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in a wooded area near the settlement of Mukhino, less than a kilometer from the international border. This is a local operation that shows no signs of an attempt to consolidate, but demonstrates Ukraine’s ability to operate beyond its own territory.
Provocation near Sotnytskyi Kozachak
In the Kharkiv region, Russian infantry carried out a demonstrative attack near Sotnytskyi Kozachko, using a dense formation that is unusual for the current war. Ukrainian forces repelled the assault, and ISW notes that such tactics may have been deliberately chosen to create a visual and informational effect.
Restoring positions in the Pokrovsky direction
In the Pokrovske direction, Ukrainian troops achieved tactical successes on the western outskirts of the city. According to ISW, the Ukrainian Armed Forces pushed back Russian units as a result of local counterattacks, taking advantage of the fact that the enemy was bogged down in urban battles. The Ukrainian command reports significant losses of Russian troops in this area since the beginning of autumn.
Contrast with Russia’s actions in the north
Amidst the Ukrainian advances, Russia has carried out limited cross-border attacks in Sumy and Kharkiv regions. ISW assesses these actions as an information and psychological operation aimed at creating the impression of “shaking” the front, rather than as preparation for a full-fledged offensive. Analysts have not found any signs of concentration of forces or preparation of logistics for large-scale actions.
Information effect instead of military result
The tactics of the Russian attacks, particularly near Sotnytskyi Kozachko, do not correspond to typical Russian assault actions in recent months. This indicates a deliberate demonstrativeness of the operations, designed for media resonance rather than achieving military objectives.
The advances of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near Pokrovsk and in the Belgorod region are indicative against the backdrop of the Kremlin’s attempts to impose a narrative of an inevitable turning point on the front. According to analysts, the real situation does not indicate a collapse of the Ukrainian defense, and the actions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces demonstrate the preservation of tactical flexibility and initiative.
Earlier, OBOZ.UA wrote that the Ukrainian military continues active operations in the Pokrovsko-Mirnograd agglomeration area. Over the past day, the fighters managed to repel 71 assaults by the Russian occupiers.