(KYIV, UKRAINE) – Ukraine recorded 98 combat engagements along the front line over the past day, with the heaviest fighting reported in the Pokrovsk, Kostiantynivka and Lyman directions, according to a morning briefing released at 8 a.m. on January 2 by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The General Staff said the overall level of hostilities remained high, with Ukrainian forces facing sustained pressure across several eastern and southern sectors. In total, 98 battles were documented during the reporting period.
According to the military summary, Russian forces carried out one missile strike and 51 air strikes, using one missile and dropping 151 guided aerial bombs. The enemy also conducted 3,508 shelling attacks, including 49 using multiple rocket launcher systems, and deployed 6,237 kamikaze drones in attempts to strike Ukrainian positions and infrastructure.
Air strikes were reported in several regions. In Kharkiv Oblast, attacks hit the settlement of Lisne. In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, strikes were recorded in Zaliznychne, Svyatopetrivka, Verkhnya Tersa, Huliaipole, Tsvitkove, Pryluky and Varvarivka. In Kherson Oblast, Prydniprovske was targeted.
Over the same period, Ukrainian aviation, missile forces and artillery struck four areas where Russian troops were concentrated and hit two enemy command posts, the General Staff said.
In the Northern Slobozhansky and Kursk directions, Russian forces carried out one air strike, dropping a guided aerial bomb, and conducted 77 shellings against settlements and Ukrainian military positions.
In the Southern Slobozhansky direction, Russian troops launched three attacks near the areas of Vovchansk and Starytsia. Ukrainian defenders held their positions.
No offensive actions by Russian forces were recorded in the Kupyansk direction during the reporting period.
In the Lyman direction, Russian units carried out 15 attacks in attempts to break through Ukrainian defences near Novovodyane, Myrny, Kolodiazi, Zarichne, Novoiehorivka, Novoselivka and Yampil.
In the Sloviansk direction, Ukrainian forces repelled two assault attempts near Siversk and Sacco and Vanzetti. In the Kramatorsk direction, no Russian offensive actions were reported during the day.
Fighting remained intense in the Kostiantynivka direction, where Russian troops conducted 15 attacks near Oleksandro Shultyne, Pleshchiivka, Rusyniv Yar, Yablunivka, Shcherbynivka and towards Torske.
The Pokrovsk direction saw the highest number of assaults. Ukrainian defenders stopped 23 Russian attacks near Nove Shakhove, Rodynske, Chervony Lyman, Pokrovsk, Kotlyne, Udachne, Molodetske and in the direction of Novopavlivka.
In the Oleksandrivka direction, Russian forces carried out 12 attacks in the areas of Zelenyi Hai, Oleksandrograf, Vorone, Verbove, Vyshneve and Rybne.
In the Huliaipole direction, Ukrainian troops repelled 14 Russian attempts to advance near Solodke, Huliaipole and towards Zelene. In the Orikhiv direction, Russian units attacked Ukrainian positions twice towards Prymorske.
In the Prydniprovsky direction, Ukrainian forces repelled two Russian attacks aimed towards the Antonivsky bridge area.
The General Staff reported no signs of Russian offensive group formations in the Volyn and Polissia directions.
Separately, Ukrainian military sources said Russian forces suffered heavy losses on the first day of the year, including 910 soldiers and 590 unmanned aerial vehicles, underlining the continued cost of the war ordered by the Russian dictator.
Summary of reported attacks by key directions
| Direction | Number of attacks |
|---|---|
| Pokrovsk | 23 |
| Kostiantynivka | 15 |
| Lyman | 15 |
| Huliaipole | 14 |
| Oleksandrivka | 12 |
| Southern Slobozhansky | 3 |
| Orikhiv | 2 |
| Prydniprovsky | 2 |
| Sloviansk | 2 |