**Russian Forces Capture Kurakhove Settlement**
Russian forces have taken control of the settlement of Kurakhove in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. This was reported by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) on December 26.
According to ISW, Russian forces launched a two-month offensive operation in mid-October to capture Kurakhove and eliminate Ukrainian positions in the surrounding area. Geolocated footage from December 24 and 25 shows Russian troops advancing into western Kurakhove and reaching a windbreak southwest of the settlement.
**Key Developments**
* Russian forces have likely seized control of Kurakhove, Donetsk Oblast.
* The captured settlement spans approximately 7.3 square kilometers.
* Russian military bloggers reported that elements of the 5th Motorized Rifle Brigade raised a flag over western Kurakhove.
* Ukraine’s Khortytsia Group of Forces acknowledged the loss of unspecified positions in the Kurakhove direction.
**Background**
Russian forces have been deploying tens of thousands of troops and conducting numerous armored assaults since mid-October. These operations likely resulted in significant casualties and armored vehicle losses for Russian forces.
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