Ukrainian forces have withdrawn from the eastern city of Siversk as Russia continues its slow but steady advance.
The Ukrainian military stated on Tuesday that the move was made “to preserve the lives of our soldiers and the combat capacity of our units,” noting that Russian forces had a significant numerical advantage.
The capture of Siversk brings Russian troops closer to the last Ukrainian-held cities in the industrial Donetsk area, including Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.
Earlier in the day, officials reported that three civilians, including a small child, were killed during massive nighttime attacks by Russian drones and missiles on Ukraine.
Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and currently controls about 20% of Ukrainian territory.
The Ukrainian military said Russian forces continue “active offensive operations” in the Siversk area despite heavy losses, and that Ukrainian defenders had exploited enemy positions during the battle for Siversk.
Before the invasion, Siversk had around 11,000 residents. After months of heavy fighting, the city is now almost completely destroyed.
Currently, Russia controls approximately 75% of Donetsk and 99% of the neighboring Luhansk region, together known as Donbas. Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly demanded a full Ukrainian withdrawal from Donbas, refusing any compromise.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has so far refused territorial concessions, demanding strong security guarantees in any potential agreement. Negotiations involving U.S. officials continued over the weekend, but no progress was reported. The U.S. had proposed a Christmas ceasefire, which Russia rejected.
During the night, Russia launched 635 drones and 38 missiles on several Ukrainian regions, with Ukrainian air defenses shooting down 621 of them.
Local authorities in Zhytomyr confirmed the death of a child, while in the Kyiv region, a 76-year-old woman was killed and three others injured when a house was struck. In Khmelnytskyy, a 72-year-old died in a separate attack.
Polish fighter jets were scrambled to respond to missile and drone attacks on western Ukraine. The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed to have targeted military-industrial and energy facilities in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Ukraine struck a petrochemical plant in Stavropol, southern Russia, causing a large fire but no casualties, according to regional authorities.
Residents near the frontlines described the situation as “extremely unpleasant”, with frequent alerts and power outages of up to 10 hours a day becoming routine. Temperatures are expected to drop to -7°C, and Ukraine’s energy operator warned of emergency power outages nationwide, urging citizens to conserve energy.
Ukrainian Energy Minister Artem Nekrasov said it was the ninth major attack on Ukraine’s energy system this year, with supply in Rivne, Ternopil, and Khmelnytsky regions nearly completely lost. Deputy Oleksandr Merezhko added that some areas may remain without power for several days.
In Kyiv, many believe the night attacks may be linked to the killing of a high-ranking Russian general following a bomb explosion in Moscow on Monday.
