Huliaipole direction becomes the hottest on the front – General Staff
As of 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 3, 2026, 104 combat engagements had taken place along the entire front line. At the same time, Russian invaders continue to intensively shell border regions and the positions of the Defense Forces.
According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the highest concentration of enemy offensive actions is currently observed in the Huliaipole direction, where 19 attacks were recorded, as well as in the Pokrovsk and Kostiantynivka directions, with 16 attacks each. Despite constant pressure from the occupiers, Ukrainian units are holding the line and inflicting significant losses on the enemy: over the past day alone, the Russian army lost about 750 personnel and more than 100 units of automotive equipment.
In the Northern Slobozhanshchyna and Kursk directions, Russia carried out 42 shelling attacks, including the use of multiple launch rocket systems against the Sumy region. In the Southern Slobozhanshchyna direction, fierce fighting continues near Vovchansk and Starytsia, where the invaders attempted 13 times to break through the defenders’ fortifications. In the Kupiansk and Lyman directions, enemy forces conducted a total of 23 assaults, trying to penetrate Ukrainian defenses near Petropavlivka, Zarichne, and Drobysheve; however, most of these attacks were successfully repelled.
Particularly high activity of Russian aviation was recorded in the south, where the enemy launched a series of strikes against civilian infrastructure in the settlements of Huliaipole, Varvarivka, and Rizdvyianka. In the Prydniprovskyi direction, Ukrainian soldiers stopped two assault attempts near the Antonivskyi Bridge, firmly holding positions on the left bank.
The overall situation remains tense due to Russia’s attempts to destabilize the line of contact ahead of planned diplomatic meetings in January. Nevertheless, the Defense Forces continue to effectively destroy enemy equipment and manpower, using advantages in reconnaissance and electronic warfare.
In the Pokrovsk direction, Ukrainian defenders repelled 46 attacks by Russian occupiers and eliminated more than 200 enemy personnel during January 2. Fighting continues in the areas of Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad, where Ukrainian units control key positions and destroy enemy equipment.
The situation for occupation force units operating directly within the city of Kupiansk as of early January 2026 is critical.
