The advance of the Russians slowed down in late December 2025 and early January 2026 - probably due to less favorable weather conditions and the cessation of efforts to meet "arbitrary deadlines" at the end of the year. This is stated in the material of the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), reports UNN.
Details
According to analysts, the Russian advance in 2025 peaked on December 1 and 2, and then steadily declined until the end of the year.
Russian troops were able to take advantage of unfavorable weather conditions in the fall and early winter of 2025, which hindered Ukrainian drone operations, for a relatively faster advance
They emphasize that these favorable weather conditions will not be permanent.
Russian troops are likely trying to accelerate the pace of advance as it gets colder, which complicates the ability of Russian troops to successfully implement their new offensive pattern, which largely depends on infantry penetration missions that must cover tens of kilometers of territory on foot with limited supplies
They conclude that Russian forces may have initially increased the pace of offensive operations in December 2025 to meet the demands of the Russian military command to achieve certain goals by the end of the year.
Recall
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Syrskyi stated that Ukraine did not allow critical breakthroughs of the enemy, thwarting his plans. Over the year, the enemy army decreased by 418 thousand people killed and wounded.