In a marked development in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, Moscow has now claimed fresh territorial advances as the battle intensifies across multiple fronts. Russia says it has taken control of Novoplatonovka in the Kharkiv region and is pushing toward Borovaya — a key strategic objective. Kyiv has not independently confirmed these claims so far, however the conflict shows no sign of slowing down.
To understand recent claims, we need context on the battlefield. Since the Russia Ukraine full-scale war began in February 2022, the war has evolved into a grinding, attritional conflict. Russian efforts in 2025 have concentrated on breaking Ukrainian defensive lines in the Kharkiv, Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia directions.
Now Russia’s Ministry of Defence has publicly reported territorial gains and battlefield successes — including the capture of settlements such as Novoplatonovka. These statements are part of broader claims of ongoing advances, however western media outlets have predictably not yet confirmed these claims by Moscow.
On December 16, 2025, Russian state media and official briefings reported that Russian forces had taken control of Novoplatonovka in the Kharkiv Oblast.
To understand why these developments matter, it’s important to look beyond headline numbers and examine the strategic significance of Novoplatonovka and Borovaya, and what control of these locations could mean for both sides.
At first glance, Novoplatonovka does not appear to be a major prize. It is a village with limited infrastructure not comparable to major cities like Kharkiv or Izium. However, in modern warfare, especially in a conflict defined by incremental advances, geography matters more than size.
Novoplatonovka sits in the eastern part of Kharkiv Oblast, close to the Oskil River line—a natural defensive barrier that Ukraine has relied on heavily since pushing Russian forces back in late 2022.
Control of settlements near this river allows for better positioning, reconnaissance, and fire control, even if the settlement itself is small.
For Russia, capturing Novoplatonovka would provide a forward foothold closer to Ukrainian defensive lines. It shortens the distance Russian forces must cover to threaten nearby hubs and complicates Ukraine’s ability to maintain a coherent defensive posture in the area. Small villages like this often serve as staging areas for artillery, drones, and infantry, allowing attackers to probe defenses and identify weak points.
In short Control of Novoplatonovka puts into Moscow’s hands a uniquely Strategic location. The settlement lies along supply and transit routes that are tasked by both sides to control supply lines in the Kharkiv theatre.
Russian Forces move towards Borovaya
Moscow also claims its units are now advancing toward Borovaya, another strategic target in the Kharkiv region. While Novoplatonovka may be a tactical stepping stone, Borovaya is an even more significant objective.
Borovaya is a larger settlement that functions as a logistics and transportation hub in this part of eastern Ukraine. Roads from Borovaya connect multiple axes of movement, making it a key node for moving troops, supplies, and equipment. Control of Borovaya would give Russia greater operational flexibility and reduce Ukraine’s ability to maneuver freely in the region.
Satellite imagery and battlefield assessments from past months show Russian units incrementally pressing forward around Borovaya. Analysts say any movement here, if verified, would represent incremental territorial change.
In its latest statements, Moscow also reported more than 1,500 Ukrainian casualties in the past 24 hours alone.
Kyiv has not independently confirmed Moscow’s specific territorial claims at Novoplatonovka or Borovaya. The Ukrainian General Staff typically releases its own updates on operational activity, but in this case, has been cautious to either dispute or verify these points directly.
For Ukraine, this situation is increasingly complex. Defending every village is not always militarily sensible, but ceding ground carries risks—both tactical and symbolic. Withdrawal can preserve forces, but it also allows Russian units to dig in, fortify positions, and prepare for the next phase of the advance.
Russia’s renewed push in these sectors fits into a broader pattern seen across the front lines. Rather than seeking dramatic breakthroughs, Moscow appears focused on sustained pressure across multiple fronts—stretching Ukrainian resources and forcing Kyiv to make difficult choices about where to reinforce.
As battlefield pressure increases, hopes for a near-term peace breakthrough are fading. Both sides are digging in for protracted conflict as winter conditions make large mechanized maneuvers harder.
International diplomatic efforts — from the U.S. to European partners — continue behind closed doors, but there’s no breakthrough so far. Moscow’s public claims of territorial gains are likely to build leverage in those very talks, while Ukraine’s European supporters push for sustained defense assistance.
Trump Pushes for a peace deal
These setbacks for Ukraine will further push back zelensky’s case for continued conflict as Kyiv has been delaying its approval of the peace plan offered by US President Donald Trump.
Last month, the Trump administration put forth a framework for a peace plan aimed at ending the Ukraine conflict. The proposals, which have since been revised multiple times, envisage Kiev renouncing its NATO aspirations, as well as its claims to Crimea and the Donbass regions of Lugansk and Donetsk, all of which joined Russia after referendums, among other points. In return, it would receive unspecified security guarantees.
Asked on what “incentive” Ukraine has to give up territory, Trump suggested it may already be a settled issue.
“Well, they’ve already lost the territory, you know, to be honest. I mean, the territory is lost,” Trump told reporters at the White House.
Following talks in Berlin on Monday between Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner and a Ukrainian delegation, Trump said he had “a very good conversation” with European and NATO leaders, as well as Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky.
Zelensky, however, stated after the meeting that although some progress had been made, “the issue of concessions is definitely not relevant.” He recently floated the idea of a referendum on territorial concessions but insisted that Western security guarantees must be secured beforehand, along with the holding of a long-delayed presidential election.
Moscow on its part has called all of this a ploy by zelensky to prolong the conflict and regroup the Ukrainian military. Russia has consistently maintained that Crimea and Donbass, which voted to join the Russian Federation in 2022, are its sovereign territory, and Ukrainian troops will be pushed out of the region one way or the other, and on the ground it can be clearly seen Russian President Vladimir Putin means every word of it.
