In recent days, events on the front have begun to develop more actively, although the most intense and tense remain the Pokrovskoe and Novopavlovskoe directions, formed after Russian troops captured the city of Kurakhovo.
The Russian army is trying to advance near Pokrovsk, encircling the city and cutting off supply lines.
In parallel with this, there are reports of increased fighting in Chasovoy Yar and Toretsk, as well as a complicated situation in Velikaya Novosyolka.
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What is happening on the front over the past 24 hours and where the most difficult situations remain today — read in the review of events from the front line on Fakty ICTV.
Kursk direction
In the Kursk region, the Ukrainian troops continue to maintain a ceasefire after a new offensive operation launched on January 5.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports that the operation of Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region continues.
— Today, Ukrainian soldiers repelled five attacks by the invading troops, and three combat clashes are currently ongoing. The enemy launched 224 artillery strikes, including four — from multiple launch rocket systems, — the General Staff said in a statement on the evening of January 18.
At the same time, footage of Russian troop losses in the Kursk sector appears, which military observer Igal Levin calls “a graveyard for Russian armored vehicles”.
Levin points out that among the combat vehicles there are especially many airborne vehicles — BMD-2, BMD-4, and even the BTR-D and BTR-MDM, which are quite rare today. It is worth noting that the footage of the destroyed equipment dates back to late November 2024.
— Although the media's attention is currently focused more on the losses of North Korean soldiers and Russian marines, the Russian Airborne Forces will also suffer significant losses from Ukrainian fighters in this section of the front, — writes the observer.
Pokrovsk direction
In the Pokrovsk direction, writes military observer Konstantin Mashovets, the command of the Russian group of forces Center is trying to develop the success to the south of the city of Pokrovsk, concentrating here several units and formations from the 2nd and 41st combined arms armies (CA).
The observer notes that to the south of Pokrovsk a rather unique strike group of the Russian Federation is advancing, representing a kind of hodgepodge of units and formations of two combined arms armies at once.
— Obviously, in order to establish more or less sane and centralized control of all the troops of the GV Center operating south of Pokrovsk, its command did two main things — transferred overall command over this horde to the command of the 41st Combined Arms Army and introduced into this army the 90th Tank Division, which had previously operated as a separate unit, — writes the expert.
Due to these actions to concentrate combat-ready units and formations on a fairly narrow section of the front line, the Russian Federation now has a “significant advantage” in forces and resources in this direction.
— Actually, due to this, he is moving forward quite slowly but surely in the specified area, — notes Mashovets.
In parallel with this, enemy units operating to the south and southeast of Pokrovsk continue attacks in the direction of Dachenskoye — Chinushino and Zelenoe — Chinushino, however, at this stage with minimal results.
Mashovets calls the overall goal of the Russian army in this direction to be “to bypass the positions of Ukrainian units that continue to defend themselves north of the Timofeevka and Lozovatskoye farms”.
— So far, the enemy has not managed to “catch the tit”, but he is showing sufficient persistence in this matter, — notes the observer.
The expert notes that the Russian command of the Center group of forces in the Pokrovsk direction wants to achieve “decisive success” by concentrating its efforts “beyond all measure” in the area — to the south and southwest of Pokrovsk.
However, the most important issue is whether the Russian command in this direction has the appropriate reserve forces and means for a direct assault on Pokrovsk. According to Mashovets, at present the command of the 41st and 2nd combined arms armies has “an indirect relationship” to make decisions on introducing its forces and resources into battle, accordingly, the command of the Central Defense Forces is holding them back for the decisive moment, which will be the battles for the city of Pokrovsk itself.
Pokrovsky and Novopavlovsky direct/Infographics our website
Novopavlovskoe direction
In the Novopavlovsk direction, the situation on the northern flank of what can be called the “remnants of the Kurakhovsky bridgehead” continues to escalate, Mashovets points out.
According to the military observer, the enemy's 90th tank division continues to slowly advance in the directions of Novolizavetovka — Nadievka, where Nadievka “is currently defending itself, but the enemy is quite persistent”. This Russian military unit is also moving in the direction of Yasenevo — Novoandreyevka, where after taking Yasenevo the enemy tries to bypass Novoandreyevka from the south.
Also along the line Slavyanka — Petropavlovka the enemy is moving with insignificant progress.
— The actions of the enemy's 110th separate motorized rifle brigade from its 51st Army and the 114th separate motorized rifle brigade from the same army, regrouped here from the southern facade, look much more dangerous. They are persistently climbing along the Volchya River along the Shevchenko — Andreyevka direction. And although they have not yet even managed to cling to the latter, they are persistently attacking in this direction and to the north of it, the observer asserts.
The lack of significant progress by the enemy troops is due to the containment by the Ukrainian defenders, who are defending themselves south of Petropavlovka. Therefore, Mashovets continues, the movement of the remnants of the Russian forces from the Kurakhovsky bridgehead from the southern façade “looks quite logical” on the part of the Russian army.
— Considering that the village of Andreyevka is one of the key values for the situation in this entire uprising, — notes the expert.
In parallel with this, fighting for the village of Dachnoye continues, the observer notes.
Thus, Mashovets points out two features that have become obvious at the moment:
- Ukrainian troops, albeit gradually and with tough rearguard battles, “sooner or later, will have to completely retreat” from the remnants of the Kurakhovsky uprising, because the prospects for holding them, with the gradual advance of the Russian Federation “gradually worsen”.
- The enemy command eliminates “disorganization and hesitation” in the management and interaction of its forces and resources participating both in the offensive itself and in actions on the flanks.
Chasov Yar and Toretsk
Mashovets pays special attention to the heavy urban fighting in Toretsk and Chasov Yar.
In Toretsk, according to the observer, enemy units are advancing, albeit slowly, through the city center to its western and northern outskirts.
And units of the 3rd Combined Arms Army of the Russian Federation, reinforced by others, are trying to completely take control of the northern part of the city of Chasov Yar.
— At the moment, they have managed to gain a foothold in the Severny district, the observer believes.
Battles for Chasiv Yar/Infographics our website
Velikaya Novoselka
According to opinion Mashovets, the defense of Velikaya Novosyolka is approaching its logical conclusion, since the enemy's advanced units were able to occupy the villages of Neskuchnoye and Voremeyevka.
— Thus (the Russian Federation forces, — Ed.) made further successful retention of Velikaya Novosyolka in the conditions of its practically three-sided encirclement — if not impossible, then clearly very, very unlikely, — the expert believes.
In addition, Mashovets continues, if a decision is made to leave Velikaya Novoselka, this could be a “very difficult” task.
Regarding Velikaya Novoselka, the Deepstate project also points to the intensification of assault actions by the Russian Federation simultaneously from the north and east of the settlement.
Here, Deepstate believes, the enemy is assaulting the area of the dairy plant, gas station, dormitory and airfield.
