Russia-Ukraine war: Frontline update as of December 29
Illustrative photo: Defense inflicts heavy losses on Russian forces (Getty Images)
As of the evening of December 29, the situation on the front line remained tense, with Russian forces continuing to exert heavy pressure simultaneously on several axes, according to a statement by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Overall frontline update
As of 10:00 PM on December 29, a total of 136 combat engagements had been recorded since the start of the day.
Russian forces carried out 31 airstrikes, using 77 guided aerial bombs, conducted 2,559 shelling attacks, and launched more than 3,200 kamikaze drone attacks against Ukrainian positions and populated areas.
North and East
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In the Northern Slobozhanskyi and Kursk directions, Ukrainian troops repelled two assaults, while Russian forces conducted 68 shelling attacks.
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In the Southern Slobozhanskyi direction, nine attacks were repelled near Vovchansk, Starytsia, Prylipky, and toward Izbytske.
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In the Kupiansk direction, Russian forces attempted five times to dislodge Ukrainian units near Pishchane and toward Petropavlivka.
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In the Lyman direction, nine attacks were recorded; three engagements were still ongoing.
Donetsk direction
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In the Sloviansk direction, two attacks near Dronivka were repelled, with one battle ongoing.
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In the Kramatorsk direction, no offensive actions by Russian forces were recorded.
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In the Kostiantynivka sector, Russian forces made 16 attempts to break through Ukrainian defenses near several settlements.
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In the Pokrovsk direction, one of the most intense areas, 40 assault actions took place during the day. Ukrainian forces neutralized about 130 Russian troops, destroying equipment, UAV control points, and enemy shelters.
South
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In the Oleksandrivka direction, 12 attacks were repelled.
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In the Huliaipole direction, 22 combat engagements were recorded, three of which were ongoing.
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In the Orikhiv and Prydniprovskyi directions, all Russian offensive attempts were unsuccessful.
The Joint Forces Group denied Russian claims of control over Kupiansk, stressing that videos circulated on pro-Russian channels do not reflect the real situation in the city.
Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi stated that after the complete clearance of the Russian bridgehead on the Oskil River north of Kupiansk, Ukraine’s Defense Forces moved to strengthen defenses and systematically destroyed Russian forces on the approaches to the city. He emphasized that the Kupiansk direction has become one of the clearest examples of successful Ukrainian operations in 2025, producing not only military but also significant information and psychological effects.
