Russian troops have continued their advance in the Donetsk region, taking the locality of Rivnopil, according to reports from the Ministry of Defense. Rivnopil, with around 1,500 inhabitants before the conflict began, is located more than 60 kilometers southwest of the regional capital. Units from the Vostok military grouping were responsible for the capture, inflicting around 150 casualties on the enemy, as well as the capture of a French-made self-propelled gun.
Russian forces have intensified their operations in the area, particularly near the border with Zaporiyia, where movements of Russian troops have been reported in preparation for a possible offensive. According to the Ukrainian army, Russian airstrikes have increased by 30-40% in areas controlled by Kyiv.
In the offensive in Donetsk, combat is notable in Kurájove, a Ukrainian stronghold, although it has been mentioned that the main objective is the city of Pokrovsk, with a population of 60,000 and significant for its coke deposits. Reports from British military sources indicate that Moscow has regained around 1,500 square kilometers in the Donbas in the last two months, but at a high cost in lives, with an average of 1,500 daily casualties in October.
Meanwhile, there has been talk of a concentration of about 50,000 Russian troops in the Kursk region, including, allegedly, a contingent of North Korean soldiers, with the intention of expelling Ukrainian forces before the inauguration of the new President of the United States, Donald Trump, on January 20.
