Ukraine Maps Show ‘Significant Fighting’ Right Now

Russian troops have advanced in Donetsk, while Kyiv’s forces have made their own gains in other parts of the eastern Ukrainian region, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) whose latest maps show significant fighting across the front line.

In its update on Monday, the Washington, D.C.-based think tank said there had been Russian gains near Toretsk, Pokrovsk and Kurakhove in the Donetsk oblast, and Ukrainian advances near Chasiv Yar.

Nearly four months on from Ukraine’s incursion into the Russian region of Kursk, fighting continues, although neither side made any gains on Monday either there or in the Ukrainian region of Kharkiv, the ISW said. Newsweek has contacted the Russian and Ukrainian defense ministries for comment by email.

The think tank’s overall map of Ukraine released Monday highlights six areas where there has been “significant fighting over the past 24 hours.”

Kursk

There was fighting on Monday along the salient in Russia’s Kursk region where Ukrainian forces staged an incursion on August 6, although neither side made confirmed advances, according to the ISW.

Pro-Russian military bloggers said that Moscow’s forces are advancing northeast of Sudzha, which Kyiv captured early on in its incursion, although this has not been confirmed.

There was also fighting southeast of Korenevo and Ukrainian military officials said that Russia’s assaults on Ukrainian positions take place around the clock.

Luhansk and Donetsk Regions

Russia continued its offensive on the Kupiansk-Svatove-Kreminna line on Monday with pro-Moscow milbloggers claiming advances along the west (right) bank of the Oskil River southeast of Kupiansk, although this has not been independently confirmed.

A Ukrainian deputy commander said Russia is trying to bypass Ukraine’s defenses near the city and seize positions along the east (left) bank of the river. In Donetsk, Russian forces continued their offensive northeast of Siversk, but made no confirmed advances, although Ukrainian forces had advanced in the Chasiv Yar direction.

Emil Kastehelmi, from the Finnish-based Black Bird Group, said the momentum of Russian forces in Donetsk is likely to continue. “During the coming weeks, the Russians will likely capture some towns, such as Velyka Novosilka and Kurakhove,” he told Newsweek.

“During the winter, the Russians will likely either try to push toward the borders of Donetsk oblast, or focus their efforts to attack the city of Pokrovsk,” Kastehelmi added. This city is a logistics hub, and its capture by Moscow would deliver a blow to Ukraine’s hopes of stopping Russia capturing the whole of the Donetsk region.

The latest ISW map shows recent Russian advances to nearby Stary Terny, Yurivka and north of Zhovte on November 30 and their capture of Pustynka two days before.

Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia

Russian forces conducted offensive operations north of Kharkiv City by the country’s border with Ukraine on Sunday and Monday but did not make any advances, according to the ISW.

In the south, Russian milbloggers said that fighting continued in Western Zaporizhzhia oblast, although there were no changes to the front line.

Ukraine has said that Russian forces are gathering themselves for a renewed offensive in the south of the country after December 5; this could include an attempt to cross the Dnieper River in Kherson oblast.

Ukraine faces a shortage of troops at a critical time in the war as Moscow makes gradual advances. There have been questions about continued U.S. assistance for Kyiv when Donald Trump enters the White House in January 2025.

There have also been widespread reports of desertion with entire units abandoning their posts, leaving defense lines vulnerable, according to commanders and soldiers, Defense News reported.

Kastehelmi said that Ukraine’s forces have been successfully depleting Russian troops, even though they have lost territory in the process.

“However, at least yet, it has not been enough. There are certain institutional issues for Ukraine, too, which will affect the fighting capabilities, such as the chronic lack of manpower, which Ukraine has not been able to fix,” he added.