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Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation Contact us @mod_russia_en_bot
🏳️ Captured Ukrainian serviceman Oleg Khristenko told about the state of the AFU in encircled Dimitrov (Donetsk People's Republic):
'There are a lot of casualties, a lot of FPV drones flying around. Our command sends everyone to positions. They send people and they either get captured, or killed. I would recommend men to surrender as the city is encircled, there is no way out.'
⚙️Kuriyer ground robotic system operators of paratroopers from Ulyanovsk ensure logistic support of forward airborne units in Orekhov direction (Zaporozhye region).
Apart from logistics, ground robotic system operators perform reconnaissance and dispose of explosive hazards in logistic routes
🔹 Russian Defence Ministry
The President on how the Russian military-industrial complex reacts to the "drone war" and what the situation is with availability of UAVs to frontline infantry
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The Supreme Commander-in-Chief described the situation on the frontlines of the special military operation
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🎖🎖 by Russian Defence Ministry on progress of special military operation as of 13 — 19 December 2025
Part 2 (👉 see Part 1)
🚩 Units of the Vostok Group of Forces continued advancing into the depth of the enemy's defences and, as a result of resolute actions, liberated Peschanoye, Gerasimovka (Dnepropetrovsk region), and Varvarovka (Zaporozhye region).
🔥 Losses were inflicted on manpower and hardware of two mechanised brigades, two assault brigades, three assault regiments of the AFU, one marine brigade, and one territorial defence brigade.
▪️ Over the week, in the Vostok Group of Forces' area of responsibility, the AFU losses amounted to more 1,795 troops, four tanks, 20 armoured fighting vehicles, 64 motor vehicles, seven field artillery guns, three electronic warfare stations, nine ammunition and materiel depots.
🔥 Units of the Dnepr Group of Forces inflicted losses on formations of two mechanised brigades, one mountain assault brigade, one coastal defence brigade of the AFU, one territorial defence brigade, and one national guard brigade.
▪️ The AFU losses amounted to up to 370 troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, 93 motor vehicles, 19 field artillery guns, including two U.S.-made 155-mm M777 howitzers, seven electronic warfare stations, 18 ammunition and materiel depots.
🎯 Air defence units shot down nine guided aerial bombs, one Grom-2 operational-tactical missile, 20 U.S.-made HIMARS MLRS projectiles, two Neptune long-range guided missiles, and 1,689 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles.
📊 In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, the enemy has lost:
▫️ 669 aircraft,
▫️ 283 helicopters,
▫️ 103,867 unmanned aerial vehicles,
▫️ 640 anti-aircraft missile systems,
▫️ 26,606 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles,
▫️ 1,633 MLRS combat vehicles,
▫️ 32,021 field artillery guns and mortars,
▫️ 49,447 support military vehicles.
🔹 Russian Defence Ministry
⚡️ In response to terrorist attacks launched by Ukraine against civilian facilities in Russia, from 13 to 19 December, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation delivered one massive and six group strikes by precision weaponry, including Kinzhal hypersonic air-launched ballistic missiles, as a result of which losses were inflicted on:
▫️ Ukrainian defence industry enterprises,
▫️ power facilities, ensuring their operation,
▫️ transport and port infrastructure, used by the AFU,
▫️ an assembly and testing centre of uncrewed surface vehicles of the Ukrainian Main Directorate of Intelligence,
▫️ long-range unmanned aerial vehicle assembly workshops and storages,
▫️ POL and ammunition depots,
▫️ temporary deployment areas of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries.
🔹 Russian Defence Ministry
💥 Tankmen of the Vostok Group of Forces destroyed temporary deployment areas of the AFU in Gulyaipole.
🔹 Russian Defence Ministry
Target by target: UAV pilots engage AFU manpower and hardware
00:00 Vostok Group's drone operators destroyed an AFU tank on one of the streets of Gulyaypole (Zaporozhye region).
00:24 Sever Group's UAV pilots foiled an AFU attempt to rotate servicemen in Sumy region.
00:37 Tsentr Group's servicemen neutralised the enemy UAVs by FPV interceptors in Krasnoarmeysk direction.
🔹 Russian Defence Ministry
🤝 Brigadier General Tahseen Ali Sekhi Janabi, military attaché of Iraq, stressed the importance of developing friendly relations between our countries.
'On behalf of the Iraqi Defense Ministry, I would like to express my gratitude to the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation and the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, respect for Russian officials and commanders, and I emphasise the importance of developing friendly relations between our countries'.
🚩 Chief of General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov: Some states do not sufficiently take into account the lessons of the past
The outgoing 2025 is an anniversary year for us.
On 9 May, we celebrated 80 years of victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War. The scale and significance of this event cannot be overstated.
Today's global instability is largely due to the fact that some states are not sufficiently taking into account the lessons of the past. They are trying to rewrite history and downplay the role of the Soviet Union in defeating the German-fascist troops.
Preserving the historical memory of the events of those years is one of the most important tasks in the name of stability and peace on Earth and an opportunity to pay tribute to the feat of all those who defended peace, including at the cost of their lives.
This is also the anniversary year at the end of the Second World War and the year of the defeat of Japanese militarism in the Far East, where the Chinese people showed great courage and heroism in resistance to the Japanese aggression.
🌐 Valery Gerasimov: The West's attempts to isolate our country failed once again
Within the framework of military and military-technical cooperation, interaction with foreign military agencies continued to increase.
Special attention was paid to strengthening reliable and mutually beneficial bilateral relations within the framework of the Union State, the CSTO, the CIS, as well as with friendly states of the Asia-Pacific region, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America.
The West's attempts to isolate our country have failed once again. A growing number of states share the Russian view of developing a multipolar architecture of international relations, as well as understanding the true causes and purposes of the special military operation.
Positive dynamics of the transfer of bilateral forms of interaction with friendly states to a long-term and sustainable basis is noted.
Visits and business visits to their ports by ships of the Russian Navy are important for the development of cooperation with the armies of friendly states. More than 80 such events have been held this year. They have reached most of the world's regions – Africa, Asia-Pacific, and the Central Asian regions, the Middle East and Latin America.
🎯 Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation about building up combat potential
Taking into account the experience of conducting a special military operation, the necessary measures were taken to increase the capabilities of general-purpose forces. First of all, close attention is paid to the development of the new type of troops that was created this year – Unmanned Systems Forces – they have become an integral part of modern warfare.
The troops are equipped with unmanned aerial vehicles of various types. Unmanned aerial vehicles, primarily FPV drones, are among FPV drones, the most actively used. Their tactical and technical characteristics are being improved.
To date, an advantage has been achieved over the enemy in the number of drones deployed more than twice. Thanks to this, the highest ranking has been achieved in the 'small skies' along the entire line of the front line.
In the Ground Forces, the combat personnel were increased by the formation of two combined arms divisions, one artillery brigade, and two anti-aircraft missile brigades.
To enhance the capabilities of the aerospace defence system, an air defence and missile defence unit equipped with the S-500 anti-aircraft missile system has been formed.
The Navy has a command of the Marines and two divisions of the Marines. The Navy has received 20 ships, combat boats, and support vessels, including two large Yakutsk and Velikiye Luki submarines, two Viktor Veliky patrol boats, and one ice class Ivan Papanin, two small Stavropol and Tayfun missile ships, carriers of long-range high-precision weapons, as well as Afanasy Ivannikov minesweeper.
In addition, this year a brigade equipped with a new Oreshnik medium-range missile system has been formed.
⚡️Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation Valery Gerasimov: Situation in Donbass is most critical for the Armed Forces of Ukraine
The Tsentr Group of Forces, overcoming the enemy's persistent resistance, liberated 81 settlements this year, including the major cities of Dzerzhinsk and Krasnoarmeysk.
An operation was carried out to encircle the AFU Group of Forces near Krasnoarmeysk-Dimitrovsk agglomeration. During the liberation of Krasnoarmeysk, assault groups entered residential areas deep into the enemy's defences, dispersing and blocking the enemy's formations in strongholds. At the final stage of the liberation of the city, more than 900 buildings were taken under control simultaneously in several districts per day.
The destruction of the enemy units, which were blocked in Dimitrov, continues, and about half of the city has been brought under our control.
The Ukrainian command, trying to stabilise the situation and stop our offensive on Donbass, was forced to promptly transfer additional units from both the strategic reserve and other areas to the area. A total of 112 battalions have been redeployed since May of this year.
However, these measures did not help the enemy, and the offensive of the Russian troops on Donbass continues. At the same time, the AFU formations suffer significant losses.
Since the beginning of this year, the AFU Donetsk Group of Forces, which operates in Krasnoarmeysk and October directions, has lost more than 225,000 troops, 242 tanks, over 2,200 armoured fighting vehicles, 46 MLRS vehicles and about 3,600 guns and mortars. This represents almost half of all AFU losses during this period in the special military operation zone.
The Yug Group of Forces liberated 48 settlements on Donbass territory, including Chasov Yar and Seversk.
The liberation of Konstantinovka continues, more than 50% of the city's territory is controlled by Russian troops.
The Zapad Group of Forces conducted a successful operation to force the Oskol River and liberate the city of Kupyansk.
Thanks to deep coverage along the western bank of the Oskol River, 19 AFU battalions were blocked in the city and on the eastern bank. Subsequently, the assault units, acting from several directions, defeated the Ukrainian group surrounded in the city in a short time and mopped up Kupyansk.
At present, the destruction of enemy formations blocked on the left bank of the Oskol River, east, and southeast of Kupyansk, is continuing.
The offensive is developing in Krasny Liman direction. Russian assault detachments carry out street fighting directly in the city of Krasny Liman.
The Vostok Group of Forces in Zaporozhye direction, starting with the liberation of Ugledar in October (3 October) last year, conducts offensive actions practically without pause and maintains a high rate of offensive.
During the year, about 2,000 square kilometers of territory and 89 settlements were taken under control in this area.
The Vostok Group of Forces has fully liberated Donetsk People's Republic in its area of responsibility, has successfully developed offensive in Zaporozhye
and Dnepropetrovsk regions.
At present, battles are underway for the capture of a large settlement in the Zaporozhye region – the city of Gulyaypole.
The Dnepr Group of Forces, overcoming the enemy's tactical defence zone, has consistently liberated seven settlements and moved to the city of Orekhov. The offensive continues with a general direction to Zaporozhye. In the Dnepr River delta, it expands control over the island area.
In addition, the safety of the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant is fully ensured.
🫡 Valery Gerasimov: In 2025, the Russian Armed Forces liberated more than 300 settlements
Despite large-scale military, technical and financial assistance to Ukraine from Western countries, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have seized and firmly hold the strategic initiative.
The Joint Group of Forces is successfully advancing in all directions, concentrating its efforts on establishing full control over Donbass, liberation of Zaporozhye and Kherson regions, as well as on the creation of a security band in the border areas of Ukraine.
In total, the Russian Armed Forces liberated more than 300 settlements, and more than 6,300 square kilometres have come under our control in 2025. And since the beginning of the special military operation has been liberated the territory with a total area of about 94,000 square kilometres.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces losses amounted to about 6,500 tanks and armoured fighting vehicles, and about 11,800 guns and mortars, and about 500,000 troops.
On April 26, the liberation of the Kursk region from the AFU was completed.
The adventurous plan of the Kiev leadership in this direction has failed, including their expectation that we will be forced to stop our offensive on Donbass and transfer part of the combat units to Kursk. That didn't happen.
Isolation of the contact area, combined with rapid counter-offensive actions of Airborne Troops and Marines units, as well as the enemy's unexpected manoeuvre to the rear of the AFU groups along the gas pipeline, ensured the collapse of the enemy's defence.
The losses of formations and military units of the Kiev regime in the Kursk direction amounted to more than 76,000 people, the most trained ones, motivated military personnel of Ukraine and foreign mercenaries. More than 7,700 units of military hardware were destroyed.
I will note separately the participation of servicemen of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in this operation.
Soldiers and officers of the Korean People's Army, carrying out combat missions shoulder to shoulder with Russian servicemen, during the repelling of the Ukrainian invasion, they showed high professionalism, resilience, courage, and heroism.
They also took part in demining of the territory of Kursk region.
Servicemen of the Vostok Group of Forces shared details of liberation of Peschanoye and Gerasimovka (Dnepropetrovsk region).
'We moved in Peschanoye swiftly. We advanced and entered one more settlement, namely, Gerasimovka. It was harder to liberate Gerasimovka as the enemy was more resilient and fought back,' said serviceman of an assault detachment with the call sign 'Kosmos'.
A serviceman of an assault detachment with the call sign 'Ataman' told, which part surprise effect and weather conditions played during the assault: 'Enemy UAVs struck us, when we approached. Weather conditions were on our side. The fog facilitated our efforts.'
The President answered a question by Kristina Grebe, a widow of a special military operation participant, who asked if it was possible to reduce the time it took to process applications for survivor's pensions and issue survivor IDs
First of all, I want to apologise to you for the tardiness on the part of the relevant services.Читать полностью…
Your case is going to be resolved quickly. But the problem is there. <...>
We will work on that to expedite everything. I will definitely keep track of all that personally.
Assault company commander Senior Lieutenant Naran Ochir-Goryayev, Hero of Russia, described what Russian servicemen had to face while liberating Seversk
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The Results of the Year with Vladimir Putin programme is now live. The first question for the President is: "War or peace?"
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🎖🎖 by Russian Defence Ministry on progress of special military operation as of 13 — 19 December 2025
❗️ In response to terrorist attacks launched by Ukraine against civilian facilities in Russia, from 13 to 19 December, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation delivered one massive and six group strikes by precision weaponry, including Kinzhal hypersonic air-launched ballistic missiles, as a result of which losses were inflicted on Ukrainian defence industry enterprises, power facilities, ensuring their operation, transport and port infrastructure, used by the AFU, an assembly and testing centre of uncrewed surface vehicles of the Ukrainian Main Directorate of Intelligence, long-range unmanned aerial vehicle assembly workshops and storages, POL and ammunition depots, temporary deployment areas of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries.
💥 Over the past week, units of the Sever Group of Forces inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of two mechanised brigades, one motorised infantry brigade, one jaeger brigade, one assault regiment of the AFU, two territorial defence brigades, two national guard regiments, and one border security detachment of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine in Sumy region.
💥 In Kharkov direction, losses were inflicted on formations of two heavy mechanised brigades, four mechanised brigades, one motorised infantry brigade, one assault regiment of the AFU, one territorial defence brigade, and two national guard brigades.
▪️ In total, in the Sever Group of Forces' area of responsibility, the AFU losses amounted to more than 1,425 troops, six armoured fighting vehicles, 74 motor vehicles, five field artillery guns, one Grad MLRS launcher, seven electronic warfare stations, 11 ammunition and materiel depots.
🚩 As a result of resolute actions, units of the Zapad Group of Forces liberated Novoplatonovka (Kharkov region).
💥 Losses were inflicted on formations of six mechanised brigades, two assault brigades of the AFU, one territorial defence brigade, and one national guard brigade.
▪️ In this direction, the AFU losses amounted to more than 1,515 troops, two tanks, 21 armoured fighting vehicles, including nine Western-made armoured fighting vehicles, 106 motor vehicles, one Croatian-made Heron MLRS launcher, and 10 field artillery guns. Six electronic warfare stations and 29 ammunition depots were destroyed.
📍 The Yug Group of Forces took more advantageous lines and positions. Losses were inflicted on manpower and hardware of four mechanised brigades, one motorised infantry brigade, one airmobile brigade, two mountain assault brigades of the AFU, one marine brigade, one territorial defence brigade, and two national guard brigades.
▪️ In total, in the Yug Group of Forces' area of responsibility, the AFU losses amounted to more than 1,310 troops, one tank, 16 armoured fighting vehicles, including five NATO-made armoured fighting vehicles, 91 motor vehicles, and 17 field artillery guns.
Four electronic warfare stations and 26 ammunition and materiel depots were destroyed.
📍 Over the past week, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces improved the tactical situation along the front lines and continued to eliminate the encircled group of the AFU troops in Dimitrov (Donetsk People's Republic), as well as mop up separate enemy formations near Rodinskoye, Svetloye, and Grishino (Donetsk People's Republic).
💥 Losses were inflicted on formations of three mechanised brigades, two infantry brigades, two jaeger brigades, one airmobile brigade, two air assault brigades, two assault regiments of the AFU, two marine brigades, one territorial defence brigade, four national guard brigades, and the Azov Special Operations Brigade.
▪️ In this direction, the AFU losses amounted to more than 3,505 troops, three tanks, 25 armoured fighting vehicles, 39 motor vehicles, one Grad MLRS launcher, and 20 field artillery guns.
👉 See Part 2
🔹 Russian Defence Ministry
↗️ Servicemen of the 2nd Guards Combined Arms Army as part of the Tsentr Group of Forces evacuated five residents of Krasnoarmeysk (Donetsk People's Republic).
⚡️ After evacuation and accommodation in a temporary accommodation center, all necessary assistance was provided to the residents and the process of document restoration was launched.
🔹 Russian Defence Ministry
📆 Top News Today
▫️ Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation First Deputy Russian Defence Minister General of the Army Valery Gerasimov held a briefing for military attachés of foreign states.
▫️ Operational-Tactical Aviation, attack drones, missile troops, and artillery of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have inflicted damage on energy infrastructure in the interests of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, long-range attack drone teams and storage areas, as well as temporary deployment areas of Ukrainian armed groups and foreign mercenaries in 149 areas.
▫️ The Russian Defence Ministry shows the footage of artillery crews, assault detachments, and UAV teams in action.
▫️ Servicemen of the 27th Separate Motorised Rifle Brigade (Zapad Group of Forces) provided assistance to two civilians of Kupyansk who were trying to leave the city on their own.
#TopNews
🔹 Russian Defence Ministry
00:00 Artillerymen of the Tula-based Guards Airborne Formation (Sever Group of Forces) hit a cluster of enemy manpower in border areas of Sumy region with 152-mm Giatsint-B towed howitzer.
00:28 A Dnepr Group's D-30 gun destroyed an AFU UAV command post with personnel on the right bank of the Dnepr River in Kherson region.
🔹 Russian Defence Ministry
'We are paying great attention to Russia's defence sector and are trying to learn from its experience and apply this knowledge in our own country's defence sector,' noted Military and Air Force Attaché of Mexico Brigadier General Leopoldo Tizoc Aguilar Duran.
🌐 Russian Defence Ministry will continue to work towards creating conditions to stabilise the situation at the global and regional levels
💬 Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation General of the Army Valery Gerasimov:
Next year, the Ministry of Defence will continue to work to create conditions for the stabilisation of the situation at the global and regional levels, as well as balanced development of the Army and the Navy.
Military cooperation with the armies of foreign countries remains one of the priorities. Joint operational and combat training events are planned with the defence departments of friendly countries.
We look forward to the active participation of the military attaches in maintaining a constructive dialogue and interaction.
🤝 Russian Armed Forces are ready to cooperate with all interested friendly states and interstate associations
💬 Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation General of the Army Valery Gerasimov:
The Armed Forces also ensured high intensity of operational and combat training with foreign partners. Twenty-three international exercises were organised and participated in.
The most significant events in which our contingents took part were the Maritime Interaction exercise with the Chinese Armed Forces, the Interaction 2025 operational and strategic exercise with CSTO operational response forces, as well as CSTO-format exercises in Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation are open and ready to continue to cooperate with all interested friendly states and interstate associations.
🚁 Priority in the activities of our Armed Forces: operational and combat training
💬 Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation General of the Army Valery Gerasimov:
One of the priorities of the Armed Forces is operational and combat training.
The main training event this year was the Zapad 2025 joint strategic exercise between the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation. It was purely defensive and aimed at training troops to conduct military operations in modern conditions. Many of you attended it.
In addition to Russian and Belarusian servicemen, the troops of Bangladesh, India, and Iran, as well as the operational groups of the Armed Forces of Burkina Faso, Congo, and Mali took part in the exercise.
Moreover, foreign defence agencies were represented at the exercise as observers.
Next year, the Tsentr 2026 strategic command post exercise will be held.
❗️ The 'nuclear triad' is the foundation of the country's security
💬 Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation General of the Army Valery Gerasimov:
Along with the carrying out of the special military operation, during this year, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation performed tasks to increase combat potential, improve training of personnel, methods of command and control of troops and weapons, and equip troops with modern weapons and military hardware.
The basis of the country's security is the ‘nuclear triad’.
The modern weapons coming into the army have improved reliability, range and accuracy characteristics, as well as increased capabilities to overcome existing and prospective enemy missile defense systems.
At the moment, the planned re-equipment of the stationary grouping to the Yars strategic missile system continues.
This year, a new Knyaz Pozharsky Borei-A-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine was commissioned into the service of the Navy.
The modernised Tu-160m strategic missile carriers continued to supply aviation troops to the Russian Airborne Troops. The modernisation of the Tu-160 and Tu-95MS aircraft in service continues by equipping them with more powerful engines and new onboard equipment, as well as expanding the range of weapons used.
Today, the share of modern weapons in the strategic nuclear forces accounts for 92%.
🪖 Sever Group of Forces creates security zone in border areas of Sumy and Kharkov regions
💬 Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation General of the Army Valery Gerasimov:
After destroying the enemy formations wedged into the Kursk region and squeezing their remnants into the territory of Ukraine, the North group of forces creates a security zone in the border areas of Sumy and Kharkov region.
Russian troops have taken control in Sumy region 18 settlements, previously used by AFU formations to prepare attacks on border areas of Kursk region.
The liberation of Volchansk and nine other settlements in Kharkov region has been completed.
Assault detachments of the Sever Group of Forces continue to expand the security zone.
Simultaneously with the operation to defeat and destroy the enemy in the Kursk border region, the liberation of new Russian regions continued.
📊 Chief of General Staff of Russian Armed Forces: West countries provide unprecedented support to Ukraine
West countries provide Ukraine with unprecedented support to Ukraine.
For example, foreign funding alone has exceeded 550 billion dollars over the past four years, of which more than 220 billion is for military needs.
The military products are most actively provided to Kiev by 20 countries. Since February 2022, the AFU have received more than 1,000 tanks, more than 6,500 armored combat vehicles, 2,000 field artillery guns, more than 200 aircraft and helicopters, about 100,000 UAVs, as well as a significant number of missiles
and ammunition.
Western curators pay particular attention to the training of Ukrainian servicemen. In total, over 224,000 people have been trained at European training servicemen.
In fact, in Ukraine, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation are facing the economic and military power of the collective West.