Russia's military is continuing to push further into Ukraine and recapture its own territory from Kyiv's forces. According to the D.C.-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russian forces have advanced in Toretsk and near Kurakhove,

The DeepState project analysts updated their map on the night of 7-8 January, reporting on the Russian advance in Donetsk and Kharkiv oblasts and in the areas of the special operation in Russia's Kursk Oblast.

Russia’s Defense Ministry is claiming that its troops in eastern Ukraine have captured the town of Kurakhove after a monthslong battle.

The "situation in Toretsk is very tense and chaotic," popular Ukrainian war-tracking blog, Deep State, said on Saturday.

Russia is demanding the United Nations condemn Kyiv following an alleged drone attack that it claims killed a journalist working for a Russian outlet and injured several others.

Ukraine has launched a counterattack in the southern Russian border region of Kursk, warning that Russia is “getting what it deserves.”

The recent pace of Russian advance in Ukraine has been the lowest in six months, which is likely to worry Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump 's return to the White House on January 20.

The claim, which drew no response from Ukrainian authorities, came a day after the Russian Defense Ministry said Ukrainian forces had pressed new attacks in Russia’s Kursk border region.

Four people were killed on Thursday in instances of shelling in Ukraine, one blamed on Russia's military, the other on Ukrainian forces, regional officials said.

On January 5, 2025, the Armed Forces of Ukraine launched a limited armored counterattack against Russian troops in the Kursk region of Russia, according to the UK Ministry of Defense. The attack took place as Ukraine continued to defend its territory in Kursk from constant attacks by Russian and North Korean troops.

According to Vladimir Rogov, Ukrainian defenses in the northern part of the Zaporozhye Region were not structured to counter a Russian advance from the east