Russia-Ukraine war: Frontline update as of December 20

Russian shelling

Over the past day, 87 combat engagements took place. In total, the enemy launched 1 missile and 26 air strikes, fired 87 times from multiple launch rocket systems at the positions of our troops and populated areas.

Unfortunately, Russian terrorist attacks have resulted in civilian casualties and injuries. Private houses and other civilian infrastructure were destroyed and damaged.

Yesterday, the Russian occupiers attacked Ukraine using 17 Shahed-136/131 UAVs. All enemy drones were destroyed.

Also, the enemy conducted another air strike using 4 Shahed-136/131 strike UAVs. Ukrainian air defense forces destroyed 3 UAVs.

Air strikes were carried out in:

• Sinkivka, Kharkiv region;
• Novoliubivka, Luhansk region;
• Mala Tokmachka, Robotyne in Zaporizhzhia region.

More than 110 settlements in Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Mykolaiv regions came under artillery fire.

Situation at the frontlines

The operational situation in the Volyn and Polissya directions remains without significant changes.

In the Siversk and Slobozhanske directions, the enemy maintains a military presence in the border areas, conducts active sabotage activities to prevent the deployment of our troops to threatened areas, and increases the density of minefields along the state border in the Belgorod region.

In the Kupiansk direction, Ukrainian defenders repelled three enemy attacks near Synkivka, Kharkiv region.

In the Lyman direction, our troops repelled 6 enemy attacks in the vicinity of Serebryanske forestry in the Luhansk region and east of Terny in the Donetsk region.

In the Bakhmut direction, Ukrainian troops repelled 12 enemy attacks near Bohdanivka, Klishchiyivka, and Andriivka in the Donetsk region. The Ukrainian defense forces continue to inflict losses in manpower and equipment on the enemy and are consolidating their positions.

In the Avdiivka direction, Ukrainian defenders continue to hold back the enemy, who is making attempts to encircle Avdiivka. Our soldiers are steadfastly holding the line, inflicting significant losses on the occupiers.

Thus, 26 enemy attacks were repelled east of Novobakhmutivka, Stepove, Avdiivka, and another 9 attacks south of Severne, Pervomaiske, and Nevelske in the Donetsk region.

In the Maryinka direction, the Defense Forces continue to hold back the enemy in the areas of Krasnohorivka, Maryinka, and Novomykhailivka in the Donetsk region, where 13 enemy attacks were repelled.

In the Shakhtarsk direction, the enemy did not conduct offensive (assault) actions.

In the Zaporizhzhya direction, the Defense Forces repelled 12 enemy attacks west of Novopokrovka and Robotyne in the Zaporizhzhya region.

Ukrainian Armed Forces offensive

In the Melitopol direction, our soldiers continue to actively inflict losses in manpower and equipment on the occupation forces, depleting the enemy along the entire front line.

In the Kherson direction, the Defense Forces continue to expand the bridgehead. Despite the setbacks, the enemy did not abandon its intention to drive our units from their positions and made 8 attempts to assault. He received a worthy rebuff and retreated with losses. Our defenders are engaged in counter-battery combat, inflicting fire on the enemy's rear.

Enemy losses

Over the past day, the aviation of the Defense Forces struck 6 areas of concentration of enemy personnel, weapons, and military equipment.

Missile troops hit 3 areas of concentration of personnel, weapons, and military equipment, a command center, 3 artillery pieces, and 4 ammunition depots of the enemy.

The total number of Russian army losses since the beginning of the invasion is 348,300.