The situation in the city of Siversk, located in Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast, has sharply deteriorated, with Russian forces now reported to control nearly the entire settlement. Ukrainian troops defending the area are said to lack sufficient reserves to mount an effective counteroffensive, according to multiple sources cited by Ukrainska Pravda.
Sources within local military administrations and Ukrainian brigades operating on the Siversk front describe the situation as critical. Russian troops are reportedly present across almost the whole city, with only limited areas west of the Bakhmutka River still contested. Even these positions remain under constant pressure.
According to Ukrainian military sources, restoring lost positions would require the deployment of fresh reserves that are currently unavailable. It remains uncertain whether higher command will reinforce the sector and whether any reinforcements would be sufficient to change the situation on the ground.
One source noted that launching a counteroffensive under current conditions would be extremely difficult without thorough preparation. At a minimum, Russian advances would need to be halted from both flanks and suppressed by sustained artillery fire before any attempt to retake territory could begin.
In recent weeks, Ukrainian forces have relied heavily on drone operations rather than infantry to maintain partial control over parts of Siversk. This approach was adopted due to manpower shortages and the growing risks of direct engagements within the city.
However, the capture of elevated terrain north of Siversk by Russian troops has significantly complicated Ukrainian operations. The city lies in a lowland, making defensive positions highly vulnerable once surrounding heights fall into enemy hands.
Logistical routes into the city have also become increasingly difficult to maintain. Supply lines are now exposed to Russian fire, further weakening Ukrainian defensive capabilities and limiting the ability to rotate troops or deliver ammunition.
The 54th Mechanized Brigade has been positioned within Siversk itself, while the 10th Mountain Assault Brigade has been operating to the south, near the villages of Zvanivka and Sviato-Pokrovske. Both units are reported to be under intense pressure.
As of December 13, the most optimistic assessment places the line of contact along the Bakhmutka River. Under this scenario, the larger eastern portion of Siversk is fully under Russian control, with Ukrainian forces holding only small positions in the western part of the city.
A more pessimistic assessment suggests that Russian forces now control the entire city within its administrative boundaries. Ukrainian military sources have not officially confirmed this scenario, but acknowledge that organized defense inside the city has largely collapsed.
Video footage and livestream screenshots obtained by Ukrainska Pravda appear to show Russian soldiers moving through Siversk with little resistance. In some instances, troops are seen without helmets or body armor, suggesting an absence of immediate combat threats.
Ukrainian sources also report Russian units operating south of Siversk, including in the villages of Sviato-Pokrovske and Zvanivka. These advances threaten to further encircle remaining Ukrainian positions in the area.
Earlier on December 13, British intelligence reported that Russian ground forces were continuing efforts to push into Siversk. The update noted that dense fog may have aided Russian movements and enabled the establishment of positions closer to the city center.
Additional Russian gains have been reported northwest of Siversk, where troops cleared territory between the city and the settlements of Dronivka and Platonivka. The total area secured around Siversk is estimated at more than 15.7 square kilometers.
Russian units have also advanced westward from Platonivka toward Zakitne, a settlement on a key road linking Siversk with the city of Lyman. Control of this route could further undermine Ukrainian logistics in the region.
Further east, Russian forces reportedly expanded their control near Dibrova, south of Lyman. Fighting has also intensified southwest of Siversk, near Kostiantynivka, a key Ukrainian stronghold.
Russian troops are said to have cleared more than 7.7 square kilometers west of Ivanopillia, reaching parts of Kostiantynivka’s southern outskirts and approaching the settlement of Berestok, an important access route.
Taken together, these developments suggest Ukrainian forces are struggling to sustain defensive operations on multiple fronts in Donetsk Oblast. Military sources warn that the loss of Siversk could precede further setbacks near Lyman and Kostiantynivka, raising concerns about a broader collapse in the region in the coming months.