Russia-Ukraine war: Frontline update as of December 17
Photo: Ukraine's General Staff reports on the situation at the front (Getty Images)
Over the past day, December 16, there were 278 combat clashes on the front line. The largest number of Russian attacks was recorded in the Pokrovsk direction, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Yesterday, Russia carried out 74 air strikes, dropped 179 guided bombs, carried out 3,729 shellings, including 75 from multiple launch rocket systems, and launched 3,523 kamikaze drones.
Russia carried out air strikes, in particular on the areas of the settlements of Ivanivka in the Dnipropetrovsk region; Vozdvyzhivka, Zaliznychne, Ternuvate, Zorivka, Nove Pole, and Huliaipole in the Zaporizhzhia region.
Situation on the fronts
On the North-Slobozhansky and Kursk directions, Ukrainian defenders repelled 15 Russian attacks. Russia carried out 3 air strikes, dropped 8 guided aerial bombs, and carried out 138 shellings, including 8 with multiple launch rocket systems.
In the South-Slobozhanskyi direction, Ukrainian troops stopped 9 Russian attacks in the areas of the settlements of Prylipka, Synelnykove, and in the direction of Izbytske, Obukhivka, and Kolodiazne.
Yesterday, Russia attacked the Kupiansk direction 24 times. Ukrainian defenders repelled Russian assaults in the direction of Kupiansk, Petropavlivka, Kucherivka, Pishchane, Novoplatonivka, Holubivka, and Nova Kruhliakivka.
In the Lyman direction, Russia attacked 27 times, trying to break through Ukrainian defenses in the Torske area and towards the settlements of Lyman, Stepove, Korovii Yar, Zarichne, Drobysheve, Novoselivka, Stavy, and Hlushchenkove.
In the Sloviansk direction, the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 6 Russian attacks in the areas of Siversk, Serebrianka, and towards Pazeno.
In the Kramatorsk direction, Russia attacked the positions of Ukrainian defenders once in the direction of Bondarnoe.
In the Kostiantynivka direction, Russia carried out 24 attacks near Pleshchiivka, Ivanopil, Rusyn Yar, Yablunivka, and in the direction of Sofiivka and Kostiantynivka.
In the Pokrovsk direction, Ukrainian defenders stopped 82 Russian assaults in the areas of the settlements of Kotlyne, Udachne, Pokrovsk, and in the direction of Rivne, Myrnohrad, Rodynske, Hryshyne, Zvirove, Serhiivka, Novopavlivka, Filiia, Nove Shakhove, Dorozhnie, Sukhetske, Vilne, and Ivanivka.
In the Oleksandrivka direction, Russia carried out 20 attacks yesterday in the areas of the settlements of Zelenyi Hai, Sichneve, Krasnohirsk, Zlahoda, Rybne, and in the direction of Ivanivka, Iskra, Oleksandrohrad, Verbove, and Pryvilne.
In the Huliaipole direction, the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 28 Russian attacks in the area of the settlement of Solodke and in the direction of Varvarivka, Huliaipole.
In the Orikhiv direction, Russians conducted 8 attempts to break through Ukrainian defenses in the areas of the settlements of Shcherbaky, Stepove, and in the directions of Mala Tokmachka, Novoandriivka, and Prymorske.
No combat engagements were recorded in the Prydniprovskyi direction.
In the Volyn and Polissia directions, there were no signs of the enemy forming offensive groups.
Battles for Pokrovsk
The epicenter of the fighting in the Donetsk region has long been the Pokrovsk direction. Russian troops are trying to surround Pokrovsk from several directions and are transferring additional forces there.
According to the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces, Russians are concentrated mainly in the south of Pokrovsk, with small groups scattered throughout the agglomeration. Russians are storming the positions of the Ukrainian Defense Forces around the clock and suffering heavy losses.
According to Colonel Vladyslav Selezniov of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Russia has concentrated more than 140,000 troops in the Pokrovsk direction.
Recently, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi reported that Ukrainian units continue to hold the northern part of Pokrovsk. The battle for the city continues.
According to the latest information from the Commander-in-Chief, the Ukrainian Defense Forces are holding the defense of the Pokrovsk-Myrnohrad agglomeration, despite increased pressure from Russian troops.
The Ukrainian military is actively organizing additional logistics routes to Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad, and has also received reinforcements.
