Russian Troops Take Over Siversk, Ukraine

The situation in the city of Siversk in Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast has sharply deteriorated, with Russian forces now controlling almost the entire settlement and Ukrainian troops lacking the reserves needed to reverse the losses, according to multiple sources cited by Ukrainska Pravda.

Sources within a military administration and brigades operating on and around the Siversk front describe the situation as critical. Russian troops are reported to be present across nearly the whole city, with the exception of areas west of the Bakhmutka River for the time being. Restoring lost positions would require additional reserves, which are currently not available to the units operating in this sector. It remains unclear whether higher command will deploy reinforcements and whether they would be sufficient to alter the situation on the ground.

According to one source, launching a counteroffensive under the current conditions would be extremely difficult without proper preparation. At a minimum, Russian advances would need to be stopped from both flanks and suppressed with sustained artillery fire. Without this, any attempt to regain ground would face severe challenges.

In recent weeks, Ukrainian forces have largely relied on drone operations rather than infantry to maintain partial control over parts of Siversk. However, after Russian troops captured the elevated terrain north of the city, Ukrainian operations became significantly more complicated. Siversk lies in a lowland, making it highly vulnerable once surrounding heights are lost, while logistical routes have become increasingly difficult to maintain.

The 54th Brigade has been positioned within Siversk itself, while the 10th Brigade has been operating to the south, near the villages of Zvanivka and Sviato-Pokrovske. As of December 13, the most optimistic assessment places the line of contact along the Bakhmutka River. Under this scenario, the larger eastern part of the city is fully under Russian control, with only limited Ukrainian positions remaining in the smaller western section. A more pessimistic assessment suggests that Russian forces now control the entire city within its administrative boundaries.

Video footage and livestream screenshots obtained by Ukrainska Pravda show Russian soldiers moving through Siversk with little apparent resistance, at times without helmets or body armor, underscoring the collapse of organized Ukrainian defense in the city. Ukrainian military sources also report Russian units operating south of Siversk, including in Sviato-Pokrovske and Zvanivka.

Earlier on December 13, British intelligence reported that Russian ground forces were continuing their attempts to push into Siversk, taking advantage of dense fog and potentially establishing positions in the city center.

Additional gains were reported northwest of Siversk, where Russian forces cleared territory between the city and the settlements of Dronivka and Platonivka. The total area secured around Siversk, including Sviato-Pokrovsk, is estimated at more than 15.7 square kilometers. Russian units also advanced westward from Platonivka toward Zakitne, a settlement located on a key road connecting Siversk with the city of Lyman. Further east, Russian troops reportedly expanded their control near Dibrova, south of Lyman.

Fighting has also intensified southwest of Siversk, near Kostiantynivka. Russian forces reportedly cleared more than 7.7 square kilometers west of Ivanopillia, reaching parts of Kostiantynivka’s southern outskirts and approaching the settlement of Berestok, located along an important access route to the city.

Taken together, these developments suggest that Ukrainian forces are struggling to sustain defensive operations on multiple fronts in Donetsk Oblast. Military sources warn that the setback in Siversk could be followed by further losses near Lyman and Kostiantynivka, raising concerns about a broader collapse in the region in the coming months.