Ukrainian forces have shortened the active front line by 35 kilometers over the past month, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on December 9, 2025, as Russian advances slowed to a crawl despite heavy losses.
“The frontline is currently 1,218 kilometers long,” Syrskyi told a meeting with the heads of Ukrainian media outlets. “This figure changes periodically. Just a month ago, the active combat line was 1,253 kilometers.” He credited the reduction to the actions of Ukrainian troops.
Slow Russian gains at a high price
According to Syrskyi, Russian forces are advancing only 1.5 to 4.5 kilometers a month in certain directions. Around Pokrovsk, one of the most heavily contested parts of the front in Donetsk Oblast, the pace is about 1.5 kilometers a month.
Syrskyi said Russia is losing more than 1,000 soldiers every day, describing its territorial gains as negligible given the cost. Ukrainian forces had also returned to parts of Pokrovsk and retaken 13 square kilometers of territory, according to a related report.
Drones set a record
Ukraine’s unmanned systems units inflicted about 24,000 Russian personnel losses in November, a figure Syrskyi called a record. Drones have become the main tool for holding the line, creating kill zones that make it difficult for Russian infantry to advance in large groups and forcing Moscow to rely on small infiltration attempts.
Restructuring the army
Syrskyi also outlined further changes following the Armed Forces’ transition to a corps-based structure, part of a broader effort to improve command and coordination across the front. The figures he presented are Ukrainian military estimates and could not be independently verified.
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