Slowdown of the Russian Troops' Offensive
The offensive of the Russian occupation troops at the front slowed down at the end of December 2025 and the beginning of January 2026. These changes are associated with winter weather conditions that negatively affected the pace of advancement. It is noted that the area of territory in Ukraine where Russian troops have increased their presence or advancement has decreased.
Dynamics of Advancement
In particular, between December 1 and 17, 2025, Russian troops gained 276.44 km². However, in the following period, from December 17 to 31, this figure decreased to 89.05 km². The slowdown in advancement became even more noticeable between December 31, 2025, and January 13, 2026, when the occupiers gained only 73.82 km². The average seven-day dynamics of gains peaked on December 1-2, 2025.
Despite the slowdown, Russian occupiers plan to ramp up their activities in January 2026, focusing their efforts on the directions of Kharkiv and Donetsk regions. Thus, winter weather continues to impact combat operations, hindering Russian troops from conducting active operations at the front.
The slowdown of the Russian troops' offensive may indicate the adaptation of both sides to the new conditions of conducting combat operations in the winter period. The reduction of territories that were captured may give Ukrainian forces the opportunity to strengthen their defensive positions and prepare for possible attacks. At the same time, the plans of the Russian command to activate actions in January indicate that the conflict is not stopping but continues to evolve, which may have serious consequences for the region.
This underscores the importance of constant monitoring of the situation and readiness for changes in the combat environment.