On December 18, Ukrainian forces delivered one of their most coordinated battlefield blows in nearly 3 years of war, eliminating an entire Russian regiment near Lyman in Donetsk Oblast. The strike unfolded inside the dense Serebianskyi Forest, where Ukraine combined infantry, special forces, and drone swarms into a single synchronized assault.
Ukrainian officials say the operation destroyed or captured approximately 2,000 Russian troops, stabilizing a critical front line. The attack highlighted how Ukraine’s tactics have evolved even as Russia continues absorbing massive personnel losses through relentless recruitment. The clash also underscored the growing gap between battlefield precision and raw manpower. Here’s what’s happening on this critical stretch of the front.
A Regiment Eliminated Near Lyman
The December 18 operation targeted entrenched Russian positions in the Lyman sector, an area marked by constant fighting and heavy forest cover. Ukraine’s Third Army Corps, operating jointly with the Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR), confirmed the complete elimination of a full Russian regiment, with additional prisoners taken during the assault.
According to Ukrainian military reports published on December 18, the strike “leveled the front line” and “destroyed a regiment of the Russian army.” Officials stated the unit numbered approximately 2,000 troops on paper. The raid halted Russian advances in the sector and improved Ukraine’s ground control across the contested forested terrain.
Beyond its immediate tactical effect, the operation demonstrated seamless coordination between multiple Ukrainian units under live combat conditions, reinforcing a stabilized defensive line near Lyman.
A Carefully Built Strike Force
The success near Lyman reflected deliberate planning and tightly integrated force composition. The assault combined the 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, the 2nd Mechanized Battalion of the 3rd Assault Brigade, the FATUM Unmanned Systems Battalion, and HUR’s Artan special forces unit.
This unified structure marked a shift from early-war improvisation toward sustained, systemized coordination. General Andriy Biletskyi, commander of the Third Army Corps, highlighted the achievement in official statements after the operation. “Together with HUR, we achieved an operational-tactical result on the Lyman axis. This continues a tradition dating back to liberation of Moshchun and helicopter breakthrough to Mariupol—standing shoulder to shoulder in brotherhood.”
Biletskyi, promoted to brigadier general in September 2025, suggested the strike was part of broader operational preparations rather than an isolated engagement.
Drones Made the Forest Fight Possible
The dense canopy of the Serebianskyi Forest limits conventional artillery effectiveness, making drones central to the December operation. FPV drones conducted real-time reconnaissance and executed precision strikes, identifying Russian personnel and equipment hidden beneath forest cover.
Parent drones deployed synchronized swarms, while signal repeaters extended operational range deep into contested terrain. Fiber-optic controlled models scanned methodically for targets, allowing Ukrainian forces to strike with accuracy despite visibility constraints.
These capabilities were pioneered by the FATUM Unmanned Systems Battalion, which has been integrated into the Third Assault Brigade since 2024. Its innovations have reshaped Ukraine’s forest warfare doctrine, offsetting Russia’s numerical manpower advantage through technology-driven battlefield awareness and coordination.
Commanders Driving the Push
Leadership has played a decisive role in sustaining pressure along the Lyman axis. Biletskyi, founder of the Azov Battalion in 2014, now oversees approximately 150 kilometers of front line following his promotion by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on September 30, 2025. He also established the Killhouse training academy and has promoted robotic systems integration across his command.
Artan special forces commander Viktor Torkotiuk credited frontline fighters for the operation’s success. “This is primarily the merit of fighters and combat commanders who find solutions to any task,” he said in official communications.
Formed in 2022 under HUR, the Artan unit has fought in Kyiv, Bakhmut, Kupiansk, and participated in the Boyko Towers capture operation, reinforcing Ukraine’s elite operational depth.
Russia’s Manpower Machine
Despite the loss of a full regiment, Russia’s recruitment scale continues to blunt the strategic impact. Ukrainian military intelligence reported in late December 2025 that Moscow exceeded its 403,000-soldier recruitment target for 2025 and plans to recruit an additional 409,000 contract soldiers in 2026.
Intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov reported daily Russian casualties averaging approximately 1,090 troops. “Money for all wars has been one of the main levers for recruiting people. This is how they lure people into the army,” Budanov stated in December 2025 reports.
Signing bonuses reached 2 million rubles, roughly $25,000 at early-2025 exchange rates. Western analysts estimate Russia spent about $4 billion on recruitment incentives in the first half of 2025 alone. Ukrainian intelligence reports published in November 2025 also cite over 10,000 North Korean troops and approximately 18,000 foreign nationals from 128 countries integrated into Russian forces.
Lyman, Losses, and a Grinding Stalemate
Lyman’s strategic importance extends beyond the forest battle. The city anchors logistics routes toward Sloviansk, located approximately 30 kilometers southwest, and sits near Ukraine’s fortified Donbas fortress belt. These cities shelter an estimated 200,000 civilians and have been reinforced since 2014.
Ukraine has reported between 60,000 and 100,000 military deaths and approximately 400,000 total casualties, according to estimates cited by The Economist in November 2024. Russian casualties have surpassed 1.2 million by late December 2025, with Western intelligence estimating roughly 250,000 deaths and total losses between 900,000 and 1.3 million.
“Russia has failed to significantly advance on the battlefield,” according to a summer 2025 assessment by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, while continued assaults are expected through early 2026. The December 18 strike shows Ukraine’s tactical strength, but the broader war remains defined by attrition and endurance.
Sources:
- Ukrainian forces counterattack near Lyman, claim Russian regiment destroyed. Kyiv Independent, December 18, 2025
- Ukraine’s forces wipe out Russian army regiment, capture troops on Lyman front. RBC News Ukraine, December 18, 2025
- Defence Intelligence of Ukraine and 3rd Army Corps report on joint assault operations. Ukrainska Pravda, December 18, 2025
- Ukrainian forces level front line on Lyman axis, destroy Russian army regiment. Ukrinform, December 18, 2025
- Russia aims to recruit over 400,000 soldiers in 2026, Ukraine’s military intelligence chief says. Kyiv Independent, December 27, 2025
- Zelenskyy awards brigadier general rank to 3rd Army Corps Commander Biletskyi. Ukrainska Pravda, September 30, 2025