Russian Defence Ministry on progress of special military operation as of 3 January 2026
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation.
Units of the Sever Group of Forces improved the tactical situation. The Group’s units inflicted losses on one mechanised brigade, one assault regiment of the AFU, and two territorial defence brigades near Grunovka, Kondratovka, Pisarevka, and Shostka (Sumy region).
In Kharkov direction, units of two mechanised brigades, one motorised infantry brigade of the AFU and one territorial defence brigade were hit near Staritsa, Ternovaya, and Chugunovka (Kharkov region).
Up to 215 troops, eight motor vehicles, and one field artillery gun have been neutralised. One materiel depot was destroyed.
Units of the Zapad Group of Forces inflicted fire damage on manpower and hardware of two mechanised brigades, one assault brigade, one airmobile brigade of the AFU and one national guard brigade near the settlements of Grushevka, Kupyansk-Uzlovoy, Senkovo, and Smorodkovka (Kharkov region).
In total, up to 210 troops, one armoured fighting vehicle, 14 motor vehicles, one artillery gun, and one electronic warfare station of the AFU were neutralised in the Zapad Group’s area of responsibility. Five ammunition depots were destroyed.
As a result of intensive actions, units of the Yug Group of Forces liberated Bondarnoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic.
Strikes were delivered at formations of two mechanised brigades, one airmobile brigade, one assault brigade, one mountain assault brigade of the AFU, and one territorial defence brigade near Zakotnoye, Kondratovka, Konstantinovka, Malinovka, and Reznikovka (Donetsk People’s Republic).
The enemy lost up to 220 troops, 11 armoured fighting vehicles, 13 motor vehicles, and four artillery guns, including two foreign-made artillery guns. One materiel depot was destroyed.
The enemy losses amounted to up to 400 troops, two tanks, six armoured fighting vehicles, seven motor vehicles, and two field artillery guns.
The Vostok Group of Forces continued advancing into the depth of enemy defence. Manpower and hardware of one air assault brigade and four assault regiments of the AFU have been hit near Zaliznichnoye, Petrovka, Vozdvizhenka, and Rizdvyanka (Zaporozhye region).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 215 troops, six armoured fighting vehicles, 11 motor vehicles, two MLRS combat vehicles, including one Czech-made Vampire MLRS, and one artillery gun. One materiel depot was destroyed.
The Dnepr Group’s units inflicted losses on one mechanised brigade, one mountain assault brigade of the AFU, and one territorial defence brigade near Novoandreyevka, Orekhov (Zaporozhye region) and Sadovoye (Kherson region).
Up to 40 troops, nine motor vehicles, one German-made IRIS-T anti-aircraft missile system, three artillery guns, and one electronic warfare station of the AFU have been neutralised. One materiel depot was destroyed.
Operational-Tactical Aviation, attack drones, missile troops and artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces have inflicted damage on energy and port infrastructure facilities used in the interests of the AFU and Ukrainian defence industry, assembly and storage areas of long-range unmanned aerial vehicles, air defence radar station, as well as temporary deployment areas of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries in 156 areas.
Air defence systems shot down 15 guided aerial bombs, two U.S.-made HIMARS MLRS projectiles, and 124 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles.
In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, the enemy has lost:
670 aircraft,
283 helicopters,
107,003 unmanned aerial vehicles,
642 anti-aircraft missile systems,
26,871 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles,
1,636 MLRS combat vehicles,
32,360 field artillery guns and mortars,
50,714 units of support military vehicles.