MoD Russia

🏳️ AFU POW tells about desertion and mass surrender A Ukrainian serviceman from the 38th Brigade, Aleksandr Belyakov, surrendered to Russian servicemen in Krasnoarmeysk direction. 💬 According to Belyakov, he was recruited by TCR personnel in 2024. After two weeks in Pokrovsk direction, he left the military unit without permission but later was returned and sent to the 38th Brigade.

'They sent me to the position, rotated guys, but the position was destroyed. It was impossible to be there. It was scary. Everything blows up, correctable air bombs fly, mortars fire,' the prisoner recalls.

▫️ Taking advantage of the fog, Belyakov, along with his three comrades, went on the run once again and took cover in Dimitrov. The AFU servicemen changed into civilian clothes and hid in the basement of the house. During the assault, the AFU servicemen were found and captured by Russian assaultmen.

'We heard a noise from above. I immediately realised that probably the guys came, well, the military. I laid down just in case there was no unnecessary movement. Then there were some loud bangs, maybe a grenade, maybe something else, maybe even two grenades. The guys rushed in and ordered to put hands behind the back.

❗️ The POW noted that the AFU militants are trying to gather in knots and surrender to Russian servicemen at the first opportunity. 🔹 Russian Defence Ministry

❗️ During the inspection of houses and basements of the liberated Krasnoarmeysk (Donetsk People's Republic), servicemen of the Tsentr Group of Forces detected a former UAV command post of Ukrainian neo-Nazis from the so-called elite Ptakhi Madyara unit. Fleeing under the attack of the Group's troops, the AFU militants threw dozens of radio-controlled FPV drones, optical fiber reels, ammunition, remote control panels, and drone control stations. Fearing justice, the hostile UAV teams left the positions in a hurry, and some of them were neutralised in combat. The AFU are fighting with civilians that has been confirmed several times by drone footage from Russian units. Many times, residents of settlements carrying a white flag became victims of targeted fire from Ukrainian drones. 🔹 Russian Defence Ministry

🤝 Drone pilots detect, artillerymen hit 00:00 Orlan-10 UAV crew of the Dnepr Group's 18th Combined Arms Army adjusted the Grad MLRS's fire to an AFU manpower and hardware cluster on the right bank of the Dnepr River in Kherson region. 00:20 UAV operators of the Dnepr Group's unmanned systems units adjusted artillery strikes on motor vehicles and temporary deployment areas of the enemy in Orekhov direction (Zaporozhye region). 🔹 Russian Defence Ministry

⚡️ Russian Defence Minister congratulates servicemen on liberation of Novoplatonovka in Kharkov region The Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation, Andrei Belousov, congratulated the command and personnel of the 12th Guards Tank Regiment n.a. P.P. Poluboyarov, on the liberation of Novoplatonovka (Kharkov region).

'Since the first days of the special military operation, courageous and selfless tankmen that have stood up for the protection of the Fatherland have been performing their military duty to protect the people and our country from the enemy', said the Russian Defence Minister in his telegram.

❗️ The Russian Defence Minister noted that, in all directions, the servicemen demonstrated great courage, heroism, and selflessness, continuing the glorious traditions of the ancestors, who liberated the world from fascism.

'The names of the comrades who gave their lives in the fight for Russia's national interests will always lead by example of boundless love for their homeland,' the Russian Defence Minister stressed.

🤝 Andrei Belousov thanked the servicemen for their loyalty to the oath and successful performance of combat missions, and expressed confidence that their resilience, perseverance, and professionalism would ensure the security of the state border. 🔹 Russian Defence Ministry

🎖🎖 by Russian Defence Ministry on progress of special military operation as of 16 December 2025 Part 2 (👉 see Part 1) 💥 Russian troops inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of two infantry brigades, one assault regiment of the AFU, one marine brigade, one territorial defence brigade, and two national guard brigades have been hit close to Svetloye, Toretskoye, Belitskoye, Shevchenko (Donetsk People's Republic), and Novopavlovka (Dnepropetrovsk region). ▪️ The enemy losses amounted to more than 505 troops, four armoured fighting vehicles, including one U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carrier, one Grad MLRS, nine motor vehicles, and ten artillery guns, including six Western-made ones. ↗️ The Vostok Group of Forces continued advancing into the depth of enemy defence. Russian troops inflicted damage on formations of one mechanised brigade, one assault brigade, three assault regiments of the AFU, and one territorial defence brigade have been hit close to Andreyevka, Velikomikhaylovka (Dnepropetrovsk region), Gulyaypole, and Kosovtsevo (Zaporozhye region). ▪️ The AFU lost more than 295 troops, two tanks, two armoured fighting vehicles, nine motor vehicles, three field artillery guns, and two materiel depots. 💥 The Dnepr Group of Forces engaged formations of one mechanised brigade of the AFU, one territorial defence brigade, and one national guard brigade close to Orekhov, Novoandreyevka (Zaporozhye region), and Otradokamenka (Kherson region). ▪️ Up to 50 troops, 19 motor vehicles, six field artillery guns, two electronic warfare stations, and three materiel depots have been neutralised. ✈️ Operational-Tactical Aviation, attack drones, missile troops, and artillery of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have inflicted damage on transport infrastructure used in the interests of the AFU, assembly workshop and storage site of attack unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as temporary deployment areas of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries in 154 areas. 🎯 Air defence systems shot down 180 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles. 📊 In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, the enemy has lost: ▫️ 669 aircraft, ▫️ 283 helicopters, ▫️ 103,362 unmanned aerial vehicles, ▫️ 639 anti-aircraft missile systems, ▫️ 26,562 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, ▫️ 1,633 MLRS combat vehicles, ▫️ 31,948 field artillery guns and mortars, ▫️ 49,167 support military vehicles. 🔹 Russian Defence Ministry

🎖🎖 by Russian Defence Ministry on progress of special military operation as of 16 December 2025 🪖 The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation. 💥 Units of the Sever Group of Forces inflicted losses on formations of one mechanised brigade of the AFU and two territorial defence brigades near Novaya Sech, Kondratovka, and Miropolye (Sumy region). 🔥 In Kharkov direction, units of three mechanised brigades of the AFU, one territorial defence brigade, and one national guard brigade have been hit near Pershotravnevoye, Baranovka, Nesternoye, the Volchanskiye Huthora, and the Primorskoye (Kharkov region). ▪️ The enemy has lost over 250 troops, one Grad MLRS, one artillery gun, 23 motor vehicles, one Israel-made radar station, one electronic warfare station, and three materiel depots. 🚩 As a result of resolute actions, units of the Zapad Group of Forces liberated Novoplatonovka in Kharkov region. 💥 Strikes were delivered at manpower and hardware of three mechanised brigades, one assault brigade of the AFU, one territorial defence brigade, and one national guard brigade near Blagodatovka, Podoly, Shiykovka, Glushkovka, Kupyansk-Uzlovoy (Kharkov region), and Krasny Liman (Donetsk People's Republic). ▪️ The AFU losses amounted to more than 220 Ukrainian troops and four armoured fighting vehicles. 18 motor vehicles, three artillery guns, one electronic warfare station, and three ammunition depots were neutralised. 📍 The Yug Group of Forces took more advantageous lines and positions. Strikes were delivered at formations of two mechanised brigades, one infantry brigade, one airmobile brigade, one mountain assault brigades of the AFU, one marine brigade, and one national guard brigade near Mayaki, Alekseyevo-Druzhkovka, Stepanovka, Slavyansk, Petrovskoye, Konstantinovka, and Kramatorsk (Donetsk People's Republic). ▪️ The enemy lost up to 200 troops, four armoured fighting vehicles, 13 motor vehicles, three artillery guns, and five materiel depots. 🪖 The Tsentr Group of Forces continued to neutralise the encircled AFU formations in Vostochny and Zapadny districts of Dimitrov (Donetsk People's Republic) and liberated 120 buildings. 🎯 Russian troops continue mopping up the settlements of Svetloye and Grishino (Donetsk People's Republic) from the AFU scattered formations. ⚡️ The Group's units repelled two attacks of the 425th Skala Assault Regiment of the AFU, attempting to regain lost positions near Rodinskoye (Donetsk People's Republic). 👉 See Part 2 🔹 Russian Defence Ministry

⚡️ As a result of resolute actions, units of the Zapad Group of Forces liberated Novoplatonovka in Kharkov region. 🔹 Russian Defence Ministry

🪖 Units of the Vostok Group of Forces carry out active assault operations near Gulyaypole (Zaporozhye region). The suppression of the enemy's firing points and consecutive pressure on the enemy's defences facilitate the Russian troops' advancement. 🪖 The assaultman with the call sign 'Yeger' spoke about the advance in Gulyaypole:

'An enemy machine gun didn't give way. Our servicemen came to push. I neutralise it, the guys went on. Advancement is underway, we're moving, we're not staying still. We came south, the neighboring units are a little out of the way, and they're also pushing. As soon as they fulfil the task, the enemy front line will disintegrate. The air was very 'dirty'. If it was cleaner, it would have been taken faster. Nevertheless, despite this we will take it. The victory will be ours!

🔹 Russian Defence Ministry

00:00 TOS-1A Solntsepyok crew of Tsentr Group of Forces eliminated an AFU stronghold in Krasnoarmeysk direction. 00:10 TOS-2 Tosochka crew of Vostok Group of Forces destroyed an enemy stronghold close to Gulyaypole in Zaporozhye region. 🔹 Russian Defence Ministry

⚔️ Sever Group's Grad MLRS of the 34th Separate Guards Motorised Rifle Brigade wiped out the AFU fortified positions and engineering facilities in Sumy region. Read more about the capabilities of the combat vehicle in our column #WeaponZ. 🔹 Russian Defence Ministry

📆 Top News Today ▫️ Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov met with activists of the All-Russia People's Front. Following the results of the meeting, Andrei Belousov ordered to develop a model for multi-level, multi-stage interaction with the volunteer movement and gave a number of specific instructions to responsible authorities for reviewing and implementing volunteer initiatives, which were presented during the meeting. ▫️ As a result of resolute actions, units of the Vostok Group of Forces liberated Peschanoye (Dnepropetrovsk region). ▫️ Units of the Zapad Group of Forces exercise reliable control over all districts of liberated Kupyansk. Attempts by AFU assault detachments consisting of two soldiers to infiltrate from the southwestern part of the city through the cemetery to the outskirts of Yubileyny district are being suppressed. ▫️ The information disseminated by special services of Ukraine about the alleged ‘destruction’ of one of the Russian submarines in the bay of the Black Sea Fleet’s Novorossiysk naval base does not correspond to reality. ▫️ Operational-Tactical Aviation, attack unmanned aerial vehicles, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation inflicted fire damage on transport infrastructure facilities involved in delivering Western-made weapons, ammunition, fuel depots, temporary deployment areas of the AFU and foreign mercenaries in 167 areas. ▫️ Servicemen told about the liberation of Varvarovka in Zaporozhye region. ▫️ The Russian Defence Ministry shows the footage of a TOS-1A Solntsepyok, a T-80BVM tank, a Uragan MLRS, and UAV operators in action. #TopNews 🔹 Russian Defence Ministry

⚡️‘The information disseminated by special services of Ukraine about the alleged ‘destruction’ of one of the Russian submarines in the bay of the Black Sea Fleet’s Novorossiysk naval base does not correspond to reality. The enemy attempt to carry out sabotage actions using an uncrewed surface vehicle did not achieve its goals. Not a single ship or submarine as well as the crews of the Black Sea Fleet stationed in the bay of the Novorossiysk naval base were damaged as a result of the sabotage. The watercraft serve normally’. 💬 Head of the press service of the Black Sea Fleet Captain 1st rank Aleksey Rulyov 🔹 Russian Defence Ministry

#BreakingNews 🔹 Russian Defence Ministry

The Rubikon Centre's specialists destroy hardware, communication system elements, and temporary deployment areas of the enemy in the special military operation zone. ➡️ 00:52 UAV teams destroyed an E-300 Enterprise long-range large-scale kamikaze drone of the AFU near Rodinskoye in the Donetsk People's Republic. #Rubikon 🔹 Russian Defence Ministry

⚡️Units of Zapad Group of Forces exercise reliable control over all districts of liberated Kupyansk 💬 Head of the press centre of the Zapad Group of Forces Leonid Sharov:

‘I am at the 6th Combined Arms Army’ forward command post of the 68th Motorised Rifle Division’s 121st Motorised Rifle Regiment (Zapad Group of Forces). Units of the Zapad Group of Forces exercise reliable control over all districts of liberated Kupyansk. Attempts by AFU assault detachments consisting of two soldiers to infiltrate from the southwestern part of the city through the cemetery to the outskirts of Yubileyny district are being suppressed. During attacks, the enemy suffers significant losses in manpower on a daily basis. Currently, on the evening of December 15, three small groups consisting of two to six servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are blocked on the outskirts of Yubileyny district. The liquidation is underway’.

🔹 Russian Defence Ministry

🏳️ 'Supplies are not delivered. There is no rotation at all': another AFU serviceman Sergei Ionov is taken prisoner in encircled Dimitrov (Donetsk People's Republic) Ionov was captured by Russian troops of the 51st Combined Arms Army's 5th Separate Motorised Rifle Brigade, who perform tasks as part of the Tsentr Group of Forces. ▫️ The prisoner told about the critical situation of Ukrainian troops in the encircled area. According to him, the command left soldiers without food and any possibility of the rotation.

'The supplies are not delivered. There is no rotation at all. What can we do? There's nothing we can do', remembers Ionov.

▫️ The serviceman of the Armed Forces of Ukraine told how commanders sent him and his comrades to stay in garages and forgot about them. On the fifth day, Russian servicemen found them:

'We stayed with our comrades for four days. We opened a hatch on the fifth day. The Russians asked if someone was there. there?' We answered that there were the two of us. Weapons were in the field. We went out without anything. the Russians took the weapons earlier. They gave us food, water, and some cigarettes. I chose life. I decided to give up. I wanted to live. Life is better than everything for me'.

🔹 Russian Defence Ministry

🎮 Unmanned Systems Forces' specialists hit enemy positions 00:00 UAV operators of the Sever Group of Forces destroyed AFU pickup trucks and ATVs involved in the rotation of military personnel and delivery of materiel in Sumy region. 00:39 The Vostok Group of Forces' drone operators thwarted the reinforcement of AFU in Gulyai Pole (Zaporozhye region). 01:14 The Tsentr Group of Forces' FPV drones successfully neutralised ATVs with paratroopers inside, manpower, a repeater, and a shelter of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Krasnoarmeysk direction. 01:40 The Dnepr Group of Forces' UAVs hit motor vehicles, camouflaged repeater antennas, and enemy UAV command posts. 01:59 A UAV team of the Zapad Group of Forces' separate engineer brigade remotely mined approaches to AFU positions near Kupyansk-Uzlovoy. 🔹 Russian Defence Ministry

🎯 Unmanned Systems Forces' teams of the Dnepr Group of Forces adjusted the destruction of a camouflaged AFU gun on the right bank of the Dnepr River in Kherson region. 💥 During the planned overflight, Airborne Troops' Zala reconnaissance drone operator from Ivanovo detected a strike delivered from an enemy gun camouflaged in a forest belt. 🎯 Artillerymen launched an attack on received coordinates and destroyed a camouflaged gun of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. 🔹 Russian Defence Ministry

💬 Servicemen of the Vostok Group of Forces told about the liberation of Varvarovka in Zaporozhye region. ➡️00:51 Leader of an assault group with the call sign 'Krasava' told how his unit entered the settlement and mopped up some buildings with the support of FPV teams:

'We entered the settlement in small groups consisting of two and three soldiers. When there were open areas, we crossed it one by one. We captured a street and reached a building. The enemy was there. We offered to surrender. The enemy refused to do that. We asked our UAV teams for the support. At first the teams launched an attack, then we started mopping up the building'.

➡️01:47 Senior reconnaissance operator with call sign 'Buran' told how drone teams detected enemy positions from the air, and assault detachments got a chance to enter safely:

'We adjusted actions of our troops, reported where it is easier to enter enemy positions. There were camouflaged barbed wires, mined paths. We came in successfully, without any losses, and captured the building. After assault groups had already entered the settlement, we detected two UAV positions of the enemy. Then, we transmitted the coordinates where Ukrainian troops were located. After that, artillery hit the target, the enemy was neutralised'.

🔹 Russian Defence Ministry

Zapad Group of Forces' Molniya-2 UAV teams support actions of assault detachments in Krasny Liman direction 📱 One of assault groups requested the creation of smokescreen conditions to covertly move to an AFU stronghold. In a short period of time, operators brought a smoke-charged UAV into the sky. 🔹 Russian Defence Ministry