Russian Defence Ministry on progress of special military operation as of 21 January 2026
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation.
Units of the Sever Group of Forces took more advantageous lines and positions. Russian troops inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of one mechanised brigade and one assault regiment of the AFU near Belopolye and Khoten (Sumy region).
In Kharkov direction, units of two mechanised brigades of the AFU and two territorial defence brigades have been hit near Zybino, Zakharovka, and Volchanskiye Khutora in Kharkov region.
The AFU losses amounted to up to 160 troops, one tank, one armoured fighting vehicle, 10 motor vehicles, one Croatian-made RAK-SA-12 multiple rocket launcher, four field artillery guns, and one electronic warfare station. Three materiel depots were destroyed.
The Zapad Group of Forces improved the tactical situation. Russian troops hit formations of four mechanised brigades of the AFU and three national guard brigades near Osinovo, Kutkovka, Nechvolodovka, Grushevka (Kharkov region), Krasny Liman, Nikolayevka, Aleksandrovka, and Koroviy Yar (Donetsk People’s Republic).
The enemy losses amounted to up to 200 troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, 15 motor vehicles, and two artillery guns. One electronic warfare station and four ammunition depots were destroyed.
Units of the Yug Group of Forces improved the tactical situation along the front line. Losses were inflicted on manpower and hardware of one airmobile brigade and six mechanised brigades of the AFU near Ilyinovka, Druzkovka, Berestok, Zakotnoye, Novoselovka, and Konstantinovka (Donetsk People’s Republic).
The AFU losses amounted to more than 185 troops, two armoured personnel carriers, including one U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carrier, nine armoured fighting vehicles, nine motor vehicles, and three field artillery guns, including one 155-mm U.S.-made Paladin self-propelled artillery system. Two electronic warfare stations, two materiel depots were eliminate
ssault regiments of the AFU, one marine brigade, one territorial defence brigade, three national guard brigades, and the Azov special operations forces brigade close to Belitskoye, Artemovka, Toretskoye, Novopavlovka, Grishino, Udachnoye (Donetsk People’s Republic), Fedorovskoye, and Novopodgorodnoye (Dnepropetrovsk region).
The AFU losses amounted to more than 395 troops, six armoured fighting vehicles, 20 motor vehicles, seven artillery guns, including two U.S.-made Paladin self-propelled artillery systems, and two Grad MLRS systems.
The Vostok Group of Forces continued advancing into the depth of enemy defence. Russian troops inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of one assault brigade, one artillery brigade, one unmanned systems brigade, three mechanised brigades, and five assault regiments of the AFU close to Dolinka, Komsomolskoye, Tersyanka, Blagodatnoye, Charivnoye, Gorkoye, Zalivnoye, Verkhnyaya Tersa, Vozdvizhenka (Zaporozhye region), and Skotovatoye (Dnepropetrovsk region).
The enemy lost up to 260 troops, two tanks, one armoured personnel carrier, 13 motor vehicles, one field artillery gun, and one Grad MLRS system.
Units of the Dnepr Group of Forces inflicted losses on units of one mountain assault brigade and coastal defence brigade of the AFU near Novoyakovlevka, Magdalinovka (Zaporozhye region) and Sadovoye (Kherson region).
More than 60 troops, nine motor vehicles, one 155-mm Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery system, four electronic warfare stations, one P-18 radar station, and one materiel depot were neutralised.
Operational-Tactical Aviation, attack drones, missile troops and artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces have inflicted damage on a depot of loitering munitions, UAV preflight preparation and long-range launch sites, energy infrastructure facilities used in the interests of the AFU, temporary deployment areas of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries in 144 areas.
Air defence systems shot down four guided aerial bombs, 20 U.S.-made HIMARS MLRS projectiles, three Neptune long-range guided missiles, and 370 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles.
In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, the enemy has lost:
670 aircraft,
283 helicopters,
110,524 unmanned aerial vehicles,
646 anti-aircraft missile systems,
27,248 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles,
1,648 MLRS combat vehicles,
32,731 field artillery guns and mortars,
52,462 units of support military vehicles.