Russian Defence Ministry on progress of special military operation as of 4 January 2026
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation.
The Sever Group of Forces improved the tactical situation. Losses were inflicted on formations of one mechanised brigade of the AFU near Kondratovka and Pisarevka (Sumy region).
In Kharkov direction, losses were inflicted on units of three mechanised brigades of the AFU and one territorial defence brigade near Volchanskiye Khutora, Zolochev, Zhukov Yar, and Ryasnoye (Kharkov region).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 140 troops, three motor vehicles, and one field artillery gun. Three materiel depots were destroyed.
As a result of resolute actions, units of the Zapad Group of Forces took Podoly (Kharkov region) under control.
Losses were inflicted on manpower and hardware of one mechanised brigade, one assault brigade, one airmobile brigade of the AFU, and one national guard brigade near Blagodatovka, Staroverovka, Grushevka, Nechvolodovka (Kharkov region), Lozovoye, and Rubtsov (Donetsk People’s Republic).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 180 troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, nine motor vehicles, one U.S.-made 155-mm M198 howitzer, and three ammunition depots.
The Yug Group of Forces’ units improved the situation along the front line. Losses were inflicted on formations of four mechanised brigades of the AFU, one marine brigade, one territorial defence brigade, and one national guard brigade near Alekseyevo-Druzhkovka, Konstantinovka, Novopavlovka, Slavyansk, and Reznikovka (Donetsk People’s Republic).
The AFU losses amounted to more than 180 troops, one U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carrier, seven armoured fighting vehicles, and 14 motor vehicles. Two materiel depots and one POL depot were destroyed.
echanised brigades, one infantry brigade, one air assault brigade, one airmobile brigade, two assault regiments of the AFU, one marine brigade, two territorial defence brigades, the Azov Special Operations Brigade, and two national guard brigades near Torskoye, Grishino, Dobropolye, Gulevo, Belitskoye, Toretskoye, Udachnoye, Volnoye (Donetsk People’s Republic), Novopavlovka, and Dibrova (Dnepropetrovsk region).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 410 troops, one armoured personnel carrier, four Kozak armoured fighting vehicles, seven pickup trucks, one U.S.-made 105-mm M119 gun, and one U.S.-made AN/TPQ-37 counter-fire radar.
The Vostok Group of Forces’ units continued to advance into the depths of enemy defences. Losses were inflicted on manpower and hardware of two mechanised brigades, one assault brigade, three assault regiments of the AFU, and one territorial defence brigade near Verkhnaya Tersa, Zaliznichnoye, Tsvetkovoye, and Vozdvizhenka (Zaporozhye region).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 275 troops, nine armoured fighting vehicles, and five motor vehicles.
Units of the Dnepr Group of Forces inflicted losses on formations of one mechanised brigade of the AFU and one territorial defence brigade near Orekhov (Zaporozhye region), Sadovoye (Kherson region), and Kherson.
The AFU losses amounted to up to 35 troops, 11 motor vehicles, and one electronic warfare station.
Operational-Tactical Aviation, attack unmanned aerial vehicles, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces struck production sites, assembly workshops, and storages of long-range unmanned aerial vehicles, ammunition depots as well as temporary deployment areas of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries in 156 areas.
Air defence units shot down one guided aerial bomb and 210 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles.
In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, the enemy has lost:
670 aircraft,
283 helicopters,
107,213 unmanned aerial vehicles,
642 anti-aircraft missile systems,
26,895 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles,
1,636 MLRS combat vehicles,
32,372 field artillery guns and mortars,
50,778 units of support military vehicles.