Fighting continues in Ukraine more than three years after Russia’s full-scale invasion. Over the past year, Russian troops have gradually increased their territorial control, mainly in the east, and maintained frequent air strikes on Kyiv and other cities.
Talks to end the war persist following a US-backed peace plan unveiled in November, seen as favourable to Russia. Kyiv prepares to present an alternative proposal to the White House to avoid ceding land to Moscow. The following maps and analysis show the ground situation as of early December 2025.
Russia grinds forward in the east
In eastern Ukraine, Russian forces advance slowly through the open fields of Luhansk and Donetsk regions, known as Donbas, surrounding and overwhelming villages and towns.
Moscow seeks full control of these areas, plus Zaporizhzhia and Kherson to the west. Russia held referendums shortly after the invasion to annex these regions, similar to Crimea in 2014, but has never fully controlled them.
The initial US peace plan from last month would require Ukraine to cede Luhansk, Donetsk and Crimea, plus Russian-occupied parts of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, to Moscow. Ukrainian forces would withdraw from remaining Donetsk areas, creating a demilitarised zone under de facto Russian control. Russian troops would pull back from small Ukrainian areas outside these regions.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly stated Ukraine will not surrender Donbas for peace, warning it could serve as a launchpad for future Russian attacks.
Key towns targeted
A recent US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) report describes a “fortress belt” spanning 50km through western Donetsk.
“Ukraine has spent the last 11 years pouring time, money, and effort into reinforcing the fortress belt and establishing significant defence industrial and defensive infrastructure,” it states.
A Russian summer offensive near the eastern town of Pokrovsk achieved rapid gains north of the town. Russia recently advanced south of Pokrovsk and east of nearby Kostyantynivka. The battle for Pokrovsk, once a vital Ukrainian military logistics hub, has lasted nearly 18 months. The city lies in ruins.
Russian officials claim capture of the strategic town, known as Krasnoarmeysk in Russian, which could position Moscow to push north towards the largest remaining Ukrainian-held cities in Donetsk: Kramatorsk and Slovyansk.
Analysts say Russian forces advance slowly from the south. Ukraine loses ground but holds the north up to the railway bisecting the city. The ISW estimates it would take Russia “several years” to seize the entire region. However, Russian casualty rates have dropped recently despite faster advances, likely due to greater use of drones.
Russian incursion north of Kharkiv
Further north, Russia pushes towards Kupyansk, which could encircle northern Donetsk. It also aims to repel Ukrainian forces from the border with Russia’s Belgorod region.
ISW analysts state Russia seeks a buffer zone inside Ukraine’s northern borders and artillery range of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city. President Vladimir Putin says this buffer protects Russia after Ukrainian forces seized territory in Kursk during summer 2024. Russian troops later expelled them with North Korean aid.
Ukraine launched a counter-offensive in Kursk and struck deep Russian air bases. One attack used 100 drones against nuclear-capable long-range bombers. The Russian Defence Ministry confirmed strikes in five regions – Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan and Amur – but reported damage only in Murmansk and Irkutsk, with others repelled.
Kyiv claims the drone operation caused $7bn in Russian military damage. Neither side’s claims have been verified. Moscow recently blamed Ukrainian drones for a major oil depot fire near Sochi, site of the 2014 Winter Olympics.
Ceasefire talks
Since President Donald Trump took office in early 2025, the US pursues war’s end, now in its fourth year, through negotiations.
Trump appeared more sympathetic to Russia than predecessor Joe Biden. Strained Zelensky relations peaked on 28 February when Trump and Vice-President JD Vance publicly criticised the Ukrainian leader in the Oval Office. Relations have improved recently. Ukraine depends heavily on US advanced weapons, including air defences against Russian strikes, plus Washington intelligence.
Zelensky warned Kyiv risks losing US support over the latest plan, which besides territorial cessions, would shrink Ukraine’s army and bar NATO membership. He met European leaders this week; they issued a statement calling for more work on Ukraine’s security guarantees.
The Kremlin shows little willingness to compromise on demands, including blocking Ukraine’s NATO path. Last week, Putin restated readiness to fight until full control of Donetsk and Luhansk.
Three years of fighting
Russia’s invasion began with missile strikes across Ukraine before dawn on 24 February 2022.
Ground troops advanced quickly, controlling large areas within weeks and reaching Kyiv’s suburbs. Russian forces bombarded Kharkiv, seized eastern and southern territory up to Kherson, and surrounded Mariupol port. They met fierce Ukrainian resistance everywhere, plus logistical issues: poorly motivated troops short on food, water and ammunition. Ukrainian forces swiftly used Western arms like the Nlaw anti-tank system, highly effective against Russians.
By October 2022, after failing Kyiv, Russia withdrew fully from the north. The next month, Ukraine recaptured southern Kherson. Since then, fighting centres in eastern Ukraine, with Russians gaining ground slowly over months. Experts estimate 165,000 to 235,000 Russian deaths since the invasion. Ukraine last updated casualties in December 2024, with Zelensky acknowledging 43,000 soldier and officer deaths. Western analysts view this as an underestimate.
Source/Featured photos: BBC
Also read: Zelensky to Trump: Ukraine election-ready with security guarantees
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