Russia claims troops advance 1.5 km near Kreminna and 3.5 km near Vesele — ISW

This is stated in a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

One Russian military blogger claimed that Russian troops had recently advanced 1.5 kilometers near Kreminna, although ISW has not seen any visual evidence of this claim.

Another Russian military blogger claimed that Ukrainian forces had stabilized the front line near Ivanivka (20 km southeast of Kupyansk) over the past week and that Russian forces had been unable to break through Ukrainian defenses near Synkivka due to dense Ukrainian minefields.

Russian sources claimed that Ukrainian forces had launched ground attacks along the Kupyansk-Svatove-Kreminna line on December 10 and had recently made gains. A Russian military blogger claimed that Ukrainian forces had achieved some success in the Serebryanka forestry area last week. 

Russian sources, including the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD), claimed that Russian troops repelled Ukrainian attacks near Synkivka, Torske (15 km west of Kreminna) and in the Serebryanka forestry area on December 9 and 10.

The Russian military blogger said that units of the 106th Guards Airborne Division (Airborne) captured 10 unidentified positions and advanced to 3.5 km near Vesele. On December 9, a Kremlin-linked military blogger claimed that Russian troops had advanced near Vesele and were trying to surround the town.

Russian troops continued their offensive west and south of Bakhmut on December 10 and recently made a confirmed advance. Geolocated footage released on December 10 indicates that Russian forces have advanced north of Khromove.

Additional geolocation footage posted on December 9 indicates that Russian forces have advanced north and southeast of Bohdanivka (6 km northwest of Bakhmut).

A Russian military blogger claimed that Russian troops from the 200th Motorized Rifle Brigade (14th Army Corps, Northern Fleet) had advanced in the area of Bohdanivka and amplified reports from unnamed Ukrainian military observers that Russian troops had advanced 580 meters northeast of Bohdanivka. 

• On December 10, an ISW report stated that Russian troops were intensifying their offensive in difficult weather conditions and trying to seize the initiative on the front before the presidential elections in Russia. At the same time, the Ukrainian Defense Forces are consolidating their positions where they are not conducting counteroffensives.