Occupiers have slowed their advance on the front lines. ISW explains whether this has helped the enemy reduce their losses.

In January, the pace of Russian military advancement on the front slowed down. However, this did not reduce their losses. It remains unclear whether the Russian command will be willing to endure such losses if the amount of territory captured continues to decline.

Analysts from the American Institute for the Study of War reported this. The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense stated that in January 2025, Russian forces lost 48,240 personnel—more than three Russian motorized infantry divisions—making it the second-largest month of losses since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. At the same time, according to geolocation data from ISW, Russian troops captured approximately 498 square kilometers of territory in Ukraine and the Kursk region, which translates to about 96 losses per square kilometer of captured territory.

In December 2024, Russian losses amounted to 48,670 personnel—a record monthly figure since the beginning of the war. ISW estimates that in December, they captured 593 square kilometers of territory.

"The reduction of captured territory by approximately 100 square kilometers from December 2024 to January 2025, combined with a similar monthly loss rate, indicates that Russian forces are suffering the same high losses, despite a lower number of territorial gains in the near term," analysts noted.

According to analysts, the Russian military command likely anticipated record losses to facilitate more significant territorial captures. However, it is unclear whether they will be prepared for such losses if the pace of Russian forces' advancement continues to decline, especially considering that Russian forces are advancing on more heavily fortified settlements like Pokrovsk.

Situation on the Front

Recently, it was reported that the Russians occupied Velyka Novosilka in the Donetsk region. Fierce battles were fought for this settlement. It is crucial as it is the last major Ukrainian stronghold in southern Donbas, located at the junction of the Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipropetrovsk regions. Before the war, the town had up to 5,000 residents. Military analysts suggested that capturing the village could provide Russian troops with a potential route for advancing into the Dnipropetrovsk region.

Earlier, the village of Vremivka came under Russian control. It is now marked in red on the DeepState map. On January 16, the Russian Federation occupied the village of Neskuchne in the Donetsk region, and on January 15, Russian forces captured the village of Yantarne.