Kathrine Frich
Hopes for progress toward ending the war have been cautiously voiced in recent days.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump signaling optimism about negotiations.
Moscow, however, has struck a more restrained note, with the Kremlin warning that any movement toward peace remains slow.
Against that backdrop, events on the ground have again undercut diplomatic expectations.
Sudden border push
Around 100 Russian soldiers entered the village of Hrabovske in Ukraine’s Sumy Oblast and attempted to advance toward the nearby settlement of Riasne, according to Viktor Tregubov, head of the Joint Forces communications department.
“Russian units are currently consolidating their positions in the southern part of Hrabovske. Ukrainian forces are trying to dislodge them from their positions. Fighting continues in the village,” Tregubov told the Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne on Dec. 23.
The assault was described by Tregubov as “sudden.” Hrabovske lies directly on the border with Russia’s Belgorod Oblast, an area where the frontier can be crossed on foot.
Border vulnerability
Tregubov said settlements located immediately along the border remain difficult to defend without deeper security measures. He noted that such areas can only be reliably secured if Ukrainian forces establish a control zone extending several kilometers into Russian territory.
The fighting in Hrabovske highlights the persistent pressure faced by Ukrainian units tasked with guarding long and exposed border stretches, even as major battles continue elsewhere along the front.
Civilian abductions
The border area has also been the scene of serious alleged abuses.
According to Ukrainian authorities, soldiers from Russia’s 36th Brigade abducted 52 civilians from the village, including children, and took them into Russia.
Kyiv has described the abductions as a war crime and has appealed to international partners to help secure the return of the civilians.
Mounting losses
Ukraine’s General Staff said on Dec. 23 that Russia has lost approximately 1,199,280 troops killed or wounded since the start of the full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022.
The figure includes 1,420 casualties reported over the past day.
The General Staff also sees Russia as having lost 11,446 tanks, 23,792 armored fighting vehicles, 35,331 artillery systems, more than 93,000 drones, and hundreds of aircraft and helicopters during the war.
Sources: Suspilne, Kyiv Independent.
