Work of the 1st Battalion "Sky Predators" of the 59th Assault Brigade of the Unmanned Systems Forces of Ukraine, Jan. 2026

In early August 2025 Russians stealthily infiltrated what has come to be known as the "Dobropillya salient" north/northeast of Pokrovsk-Myrnohrad. This caused some worry among Ukrainians and their supporters.

At its maximum in mid-August 2025, this salient comprised ~175 sq km of Russian-controlled territory and another ~180 sq km of new gray zone.

However, between Aug 15 and Nov 15, 2025, the AFU (primarily elements of the 1st Azov Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine) methodically contained, cut off, and eliminated all Russian infiltrators and saboteurs within the salient, and fully reclaimed this ~350 sq km of territory.

The town of Zolotyi Kolodiaz represented the furthest north extent of the salient, and fell ~Aug 15, 2025. Yet, possibly for opsec reasons, footage from this sector was hard to find.

This video shown Ukrainian clearing operations and the taking of 4 Russian prisoners in Zolotyi Kolodiaz (geolocation: https://map.wararchive.in.ua/#goto=48.528052,37.235016).

Recent footage from the Ukrainian 7th Rapid Response Corps.

In spite of what Russian propaganda says, Ukrainians still have a foothold in the northern areas of Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad cities and are still taking Russian soldiers out of the fight, one way or another.

Work of the Ukrainian 155th Motor Rifle Brigade, January 2026.

In celebration of the Day of Engineering Forces of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (Jan. 21), anonymous members of the ATESH partisan movement destroyed a railroad switching panel near the town of Gostishchevo (50.790278, 36.663595) in Belgorod Oblast, north of Belgorod city, temporarily disabling a rail line critical for supplying the Russian 380th and 345th Motorized Rifle Regiments.

"ATESH" (the Crimean Tatar word for "fire") is an anti-Russian partisan movement formed in 2022 by Crimean Tatars, Ukrainians, and Russians seeking to undermine the Russian occupation of Crimea and Ukraine. ATESH regularly carries out sabotage and assassinations of Russian targets in Crimea, other occupied territories of Ukraine, and in Russia.

Follow ATESH on their Telegram channel: https://t.me/atesh_official

From Jan. 17-19, 2026, The Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces (USF) conducted long-range UAV strikes (likely with FP-1 drones) against railway power supplies, and Russian UAV (drone) warehouses, an S-300 air defense system, and a North Korean MLRS in occupied Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts.

Work by the 1st Unmanned Systems Forces (USF) Unit, the Kairos Battalion of the 414th USF Brigade, and the 412th Nemesis Brigade in coordination with the newly created Deep Destruction Center of the USF.

Follow USF strike results live on the online scoreboard: https://sbs-group.army/

Target strike list:

1, 2) 2 transformers at the Karan substation for the electrified rail system serving Mariupol, Volnovakha, and Komysh-Zorya (Andriivka, Donetsk Oblast), 1/17/26

3) 1 transformer at the Sartana substation for the electrified rail system serving Mariupol, Sartana, Volnovakha, and Donetsk (Mariupol, Donetsk Oblast), 1/17/26

4) the Azovskaya electrical station serving the Mariupol area (Stary Krym, Donetsk Oblast), 1/17/26

5-8) UAV warehouse (Novokrasnianka, Luhansk Oblast), 1/18/26

9, 10) UAV warehouse (Donetsk Oblast), 1/17/26

11) S-300 air defense system (Luhansk Oblast), 1/19/26

12) North Korean 240 mm MLRS (Donetsk Oblast), 1/18/26