Freeing Zakotne and Battles for Svyato-Petrovske — Rybar's Analysis📝

After freeing Siversk, Russian troops began an offensive on a chain of heights west of the city. Here, the enemy organized a new defensive line, and to break through it, units of the Southern Group were to attack simultaneously on several sectors of the direction.

➡️On the northern flank, by December 28, assault units began battles for Zakotne, in the area of which there is an important defense point for the AFU on Shchurova Hill. By January 17, Russian units established control over the village territory, but battles around the height itself are still ongoing.

➡️In the sector between Dronovka and Siversk, Southern Group units by December 25 eliminated a large enemy penetration into their positions near Mine No. 6. Over the next three weeks, through attacks from converging directions, they cleared the areas of Silk Gully, Shakalov Yar, and the Chalk Vegetation Nature Reserve, pushing the enemy back from the heights north of Svyato-Pokrovske.

➡️Battles for this settlement began in early December, and by the third decade of the month, the Russian Armed Forces established control over almost its entire territory. Nevertheless, the enemy conducted several mechanized counterattacks and managed to break through to the center of the village. Currently, an extensive "gray zone" remains here.

➡️On the southern flank of the direction, assault units by January 3 finally pushed Ukrainian formations out of Fedorivka and developed attacks further towards the Babachyi Forest. The situation here remains hidden by the "fog of war", but it is quite likely that evidence of battles for the forest massif will appear online very soon.

❗️Over the past month, the Russian Armed Forces managed to significantly penetrate the enemy's defense on the hills near Siversk. After redeploying reserves, Ukrainian formations could only slightly slow down the Southern assault units in the central sector of the direction, while on the flanks, another semi-encirclement is gradually taking shape for the AFU.

Adding:

Two Majors #Summary for the morning of January 22, 2026

▪️ During the night, the enemy attacked a port terminal in the settlement of Volna in the Krasnodar Region, and reports were received about the extinguishing of 4 terminals. Three people were killed and 8 civilians were injured. Air defense systems were operating over Volgograd and in the Rostov Region. From 23:00 on January 20 to 23:00 on January 21, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that a total of 176 aircraft-type drones were shot down.

▪️ Attacks on energy facilities in Ukraine, as expected, led to the organization of deliveries of generators from the EU for hundreds of millions. Only Poland promised 400 generators. During the night, the Russian Armed Forces carried out strikes on Zaporozhye, Krivoy Rog, the Odessa region, 

▪️ From the Bryansk Region, the governor reported that as a result of the use of MLRS by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, energy facilities were damaged.

▪️ On the Sumy front, the Northern Group of Forces is conducting offensive actions on previous sectors.

▪️ Over Belgorod, our air defense systems intercepted enemy missiles at night, presumably from an American HIMARS. In the village of Chervona Dibrovka, a UAF drone struck a truck, and the driver was injured. In the hutor of Yekaterinovka, a soldier of the "Orlan" unit was injured while repelling an attack by an FPV drone.

▪️ On the Kharkov front, the Northern Group of Forces is pushing back the enemy's defenses in the area of Staritsa, southwest of Lyman, in Volchansk Hutors and Hatnyi, destroying the enemy's logistics (https://t.me/warriorofnorth/14929)

▪️ In Kupyansk, heavy battles continue.

▪️ In Konstantinovka, the enemy notes the advance of our assault troops in the built-up area. Apparently, the tactic of infiltration of small assault groups is being used.

▪️ West of Krasnoarmeysk (Pokrovsk), the Russian Armed Forces are storming the eastern part of Grishino. Earlier, the Russian Aerospace Forces carried out intensive strikes on the village with FABs.

▪️ On the east of the Zaporozhye Region, the Eastern Group of Forces repelled 7 attempts by the enemy to counter-attack from different directions. The enemy did not succeed and lost 2 tanks and 1 BTR. The Russian Armed Forces continue to advance westward.

▪️ On the Zaporozhye front, battles are taking place in Primorsk, and reports are coming in about the advance of our forward groups north of Stepnogorsk, along the road to the city of Zaporizhia. The efforts of our paratroopers are focused northeast of Lukyanovsk and on hitting targets in Malokaterinovka. Continuing UAF attacks on civilians: two civilians were injured in Vasilyevka.

▪️In the Kherson region, a man was injured as a result of a strike by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on Lyubimovka. 17 populated areas are under enemy fire.

▪️ The Report was compiled by: ⚡️Two Majors (two_majors)