ISW detects positional fighting with Russians along entire front line in Ukraine

Russian and Ukrainian troops are continuing  positional fighting along the entire front line.

Source: Institute for the Study of War (ISW)

Details: The ISW analysts stated that Russian troops had recently made a minor but confirmed advance north of Bakhmut. 

Geolocation footage released on 19 December shows that Russian troops have made a small advance southwest of Spirne (25 km northeast of Bakhmut).

To quote the ISW’s Key Takeaways on 20 December:

• Head of the Kremlin-controlled Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill made a series of anti-migrant and xenophobic remarks that directly contradict Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ongoing efforts to reestablish the inclusive Russian World (Russkiy Mir) ideology.
• Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov explicitly stated that the Kremlin is uninterested in negotiations with Ukraine, suggesting that the Kremlin is moving away from its information operation meant to feign interest in negotiations.
• The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD)-controlled Africa Corps announced a recruitment campaign targeting former and current Wagner Group personnel and people with combat experience in the war in Ukraine.
• Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin discussed bilateral economic cooperation with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on 20 December.
• Moscow State University (MGU) is reportedly ending its master's program in "information and hybrid warfare" aimed at teaching students how to create information operations and conduct hybrid warfare, generating outrage from Russian propagandist Vladimir Solovyov.
• The Kremlin continues to set conditions to create a veneer of legitimacy over the upcoming March 2024 presidential election.
• Russian forces made a confirmed advance north of Bakhmut and continued positional meeting engagements along the entire line of contact.
• Russian officials issued military summonses to migrants at a naturalisation ceremony on 20 December as part of ongoing efforts to target naturalised migrants for crypto-mobilisation efforts and to placate the Russian ultranationalist community.
• Russian occupation administrators continue to use educational organisations to facilitate the temporary deportation of Ukrainians to Russia.

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