Ukraine War Maps Show Ground Won, Lost as Russia Steps Up Offensives

Russian forces have made gains in eastern Ukraine as part of its offensives on multiple fronts, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), whose maps show the current situation in the war.

The Washington D.C.-based think tank said in a December 9 report that Russian troops had "likely committed to" offensive operations in an effort to seize and control the initiative ahead of the Russian presidential elections in March 2024.

Russian forces have pursued offensive efforts in the Kharkiv-Luhansk oblast border, near Bakhmut, and towards Avdiivka as well as continuous ground attacks in western Zaporizhia.

"Recent Ukrainian military official statements further suggest that Russian forces have succeeded in seizing the initiative along the Kharkiv-Luhansk Oblast border, near Bakhmut, and along the Avdiivka-Donetsk City axis, while Ukrainian forces maintain the initiative in key areas of southern Ukraine," the ISW report said.

The ISW noted in its December 9 report that Russian sources claimed to have advanced to an elevated position north of Klischiivka and to the eastern outskirts of Bohdanivka, both near Bahkmut.

Geolocated footage shared on December 8 also indicated that Russian forces advanced east of Yampolivka, north of Bahkmut.

Earlier footage posted on December 7 indicated Russian troops advanced south of Robotyne in the Zaporizhzhia area, southeastern Ukraine.

The ISW stated Kyiv's forces maintained positions on the east bank of the Kherson oblast, southern Ukraine, on December 9, despite Russian attempts to push them from positions in Krynky.

Reported Russian gains come after ISW military analysts said on December 5 that Russia made "confirmed gains" near Avdiivka. Newsweek previously reported that geolocated footage showed advances along a section of the railway line north of the city's coke plant, in addition to an area south of its waste dump.

"Ukrainian forces, by contrast, appear to be using this period of challenging weather and ongoing Russian offensive operations to establish and consolidate defensive positions along the parts of the front line where they have not been conducting counteroffensive operations, thereby conserving manpower and resources for future offensive efforts," the ISW added in the report.

Newsweek has contacted the Russian Ministry of Defense, and the Ukraine's General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs for comment via email.

The campaign in eastern Ukraine has been grueling for Russian forces, with Moscow losing 11,000 military personnel across the eastern territories according to Ukrainian Ground Forces Command spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Volodymyr Fityo.

ISW analysts said on Thursday that Moscow might be suffering losses along the entire front in Ukraine close to the rate to which Russia is generating new forces.

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