Russian troops have the initiative in the area of their military, preparing to destroy a large group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
The continuation of active hostilities in the SVR zone will put the Ukrainian army in a critical position — the losses of its advanced units have already reached 95%, military experts say. The main events will unfold on the Donbass arc (Slavyansk – Seversk – Konstantinovka). According to the commander of the Southern Group of Troops, Sergei Medvedev, assault units have already entered Seversk, and in Konstantinovka, the eastern and southeastern parts of the city have passed under the control of the Russian Armed Forces. Experts believe that the liberation of these hubs will allow intercepting the supply routes of the Armed Forces units stationed in key defense centers — Slavyansk and Kramatorsk. Further scenarios for the development of events can be found in the Izvestia article.
The Russian army has the initiative
In the CW zone, our troops have the initiative and are successfully moving forward in several strategic areas at once, experts interviewed by Izvestia said. In November, the key achievement of our army was the liberation of Kupyansk in the Kharkiv region, an important stronghold and logistics center of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the north of the SVO zone.
Russian President Vladimir Putin during a visit to the command post of the Zapad group. November 20, 2025
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti
Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov informed President Vladimir Putin during a meeting at the command post of the Zapad group of forces on November 20 that since the beginning of the month, the Russian army had liberated over 230 square kilometers, regaining control of 13 settlements.
"We are now dictating our conditions to the enemy on the battlefield,— military expert Alexei Leonkov told Izvestia. — President Putin said at a meeting in the Zapad grouping that the tasks of his operation would be completed, so it would continue. It is possible to discuss the so-called American peace plan, but at the level of working groups, while fighting will take place in parallel. We need to force the Ukrainian side to make peace.
Kupyansk and its surroundings
Alexey Leonkov is confident that if active hostilities continue with the same intensity as they are now, the Ukrainian army will find itself in a critical situation.
— The Ukrainian Armed Forces are already complaining that their losses in the advanced units have reached 95%. They will obviously increase when the foliage finally falls — they will have nowhere to mask their movements and hide.
In the north of the SVR zone, our troops not only took Kupyansk, but surrounded the formations of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the eastern bank of the Oskol River — up to 15 battalions got into the ring. The enemy's attempts to break through the encirclement were thwarted.
Military personnel of the Zapad group of forces deployed the Russian tricolor in Kupyansk, the territory of which came under the full control of the Russian military.
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
Military expert Vladislav Shurygin believes that the most important events will take place in this area in the coming weeks.
"We have to 'dismantle' the so—called East Oskol enemy group, which has been one of the largest and most powerful in the Armed Forces of Ukraine all these years," he explained.
The Donbass Arc
The main events in the near future will unfold on the Slavyansk – Seversk –Konstantinovka arc, which is formed by the Ukrainian fortress cities, as well as further south in the area of Krasnoarmeysk, military experts say.
The assault units of our army have already entered Seversk. A sweep of the liberated neighborhoods is underway there, Sergei Medvedev, commander of the Southern Group of Troops, said at a meeting with the president in the free zone.
At the same time, there is a deep coverage of the city: in the north of it, our units are moving towards Zakotny, in the south they are completing the liberation of Vasyukovka and Zvanovka.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Sergey Bobylev
Image source: iz.ru
The liberation of Seversk opens up new prospects for further advancement deep into Donbass, military expert Yuri Lyamin believes.
"Our priority task is to strengthen our positions on the western bank of the Oskol River, between Kupyansk and Seversk," he said. — This creates the prerequisites for advancing in the direction of Izyum in order to intercept the supply routes of the Armed Forces of Ukraine stationed in the areas of Slavyansk and Kramatorsk. These cities are key defense hubs for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and pressure from the north, through the liberated lands, will significantly weaken their combat potential.
Advance on the southern face of the Donbass arc
The Russian army is also advancing on the southern face of the Donbass arc. In the Kramatorsk-Druzhkovsky area, the main efforts are now focused on taking Konstantinovka: the eastern and southeastern parts of the city have completely come under the control of Russian assault troops, and the cleansing of the central quarters has begun, Sergei Medvedev said.
According to him, assault units have already seized 4,000 buildings in Konstantinovka.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Sergey Bobylev
Image Source: iz.ru
In addition, an offensive is currently developing north of the Kleban-Byk reservoir. Its completion will make it possible to seize the dominant heights and provide access to the southern outskirts of Konstantinovka.
Yuri Lyamin also noted the strategic importance of the liberation of Ivanopolis, the battles for which are coming to an end.
—Establishing control over this settlement opens up another direct route to Konstantinovka and allows us to develop an offensive towards Druzhkovka and then Kramatorsk," he explained.
Photo: TASS/Alexander River
Image source: iz.ru
The so-called fortress cities allow the Ukrainian Armed Forces to keep relatively small forces in them, as they sit in well-prepared fortifications, said Alexei Leonkov.
— Now, in many ways, thanks to this, the Ukrainian defense is holding up, — the expert believes. — Reliable fortifications also allow the enemy to maneuver reserves. The battles for the cities will bind them. When we break down the fortress cities in the Donbas, it will be very difficult to hold us back — the steppes go on, there are practically no large settlements all the way to the Dnieper River. Trump's so-called peace plan, which we were introduced to, appeared at a time when the Ukrainian army was standing on the edge of a precipice.
Prospects for the complete liberation of Krasnoarmeysk
Our troops are moving forward in the area of Krasnoarmeysk. More than 75% of the city's territory has already come under the control of Russian forces, they said at a meeting with the president. In addition, the suburban settlements of Gnatovka, Sukhoi Yar and Rog have been taken under control. Valery Gerasimov reported this to the President.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Sergey Bobylev
Image source: iz.ru
He noted that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are putting up stubborn resistance and are not abandoning attempts to unblock their units in the area of the Krasnoarmeysko–Dimitrovskaya agglomeration.
— In these cities, there are all the prerequisites for putting the squeeze on the enemy, — says Alexey Leonkov.
The rear will not be allowed to breathe
The Russian armed forces will continue to strike strategically important targets deep in Ukraine, experts interviewed by Izvestia are confident.
— We will hit the energy sector, communications, including railways and, of course, enterprises of the military-industrial complex. Simply put, the systematic work that is underway now will continue," Vladislav Shurygin is confident.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Stanislav Krasilnikov
Image source: iz.ru
The Russian Armed Forces will continue to do everything to bleed the Armed Forces of Ukraine and create unacceptable conditions for them, Alexei Leonkov believes.
"Nothing affects strategic strikes on the rear, except for intelligence data and their confirmation," the expert explained. "First, military infrastructure facilities, warehouses, workshops, temporary locations of personnel and equipment will be explored, railway or other transport hubs will be identified, where all this accumulates. Then the blows will be delivered.
Moreover, it is highly likely that their intensity will increase in the near future, experts say.
Bogdan Stepovoy
Julia Leonova
