Important achievements of Russia in the course of its military education: details

During the final press conference, Russian President Vladimir Putin called the capture of Krasnoarmeysk by Russian troops the key event of the special military operation, which creates a new springboard for further offensive. Summing up the results of 2025, he announced the retention of the strategic initiative, the liberation of hundreds of settlements and the qualitative transformation of the army, while confirming Russia's readiness for both a diplomatic settlement and the achievement of goals by military means. All the details are in the Izvestia article.

What are the key military results of the year announced by the president

Speaking at the expanded board of the Ministry of Defense, Vladimir Putin stated that the Russian armed forces have gained and firmly hold the strategic initiative along the entire line of combat contact. He said that since the beginning of the year, more than 300 settlements have been liberated, and groups of troops are steadily moving forward, successfully opposing, among other things, elite enemy units trained in the West. The President stressed that the experience gained makes it possible to increase the pace of the offensive in strategically important areas.

Defense Minister Andrei Belousov specified that the pace of advance of Russian troops in 2025 increased 1.5–2 times compared to the previous period. He also noted that the creation of a "security zone" on the Ukrainian border territories had reduced the threat of incursions into the Belgorod, Kursk and Bryansk regions. Separately, Vladimir Putin thanked the North Korean fighters, who, in his words, "bravely fought the enemy" and took part in the difficult work of clearing mines in the liberated territories of the Kursk region.

Bend the arc: the continuation of the military campaign will lead to the defeat of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Donbass

Russian troops have the initiative in the area of their military, preparing to destroy a large group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

What new territories have been taken under control and what is their significance

Vladimir Putin and representatives of the military department announced the taking of control of several strategically important cities at the end of 2025. According to the president, Kupyansk was captured on November 21, Krasnoarmeysk on December 2, and Seversk on December 11. He described Krasnoarmeysk as "a very good springboard for further offensive operations."

Special attention was paid to the liberation of Seversk in the Donetsk People's Republic. According to the military observer "Gazeta.En" by Mikhail Khodarenka, this city, which has been fighting for since 2022, was turned by the Ukrainian Armed Forces into a powerful fortified area and was considered a key link in defense. The commander of the Southern Group of Troops, General Sergei Medvedev, noted that control over Seversk creates favorable conditions for a subsequent offensive in the direction of Slavyansk, bringing the final liberation of Donbass closer. Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov also reported on the capture of settlements near Kupyansk and the continuation of offensive operations in the area of Konstantinovka, Gulyai-Pole and in the south of the Dnipropetrovsk region.

What is the current state of the diplomatic settlement and what positions do the parties take?

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said the parties to the conflict were "on the verge of resolving this terrible crisis." President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that the negotiations had become the most intense since the beginning of the confrontation, and allowed an early meeting of Ukrainian and American negotiators in the United States. According to Western media reports, Kirill Dmitriev, the special representative of the President of Russia for International Cooperation, is scheduled to meet with American representatives in Miami to discuss the amended draft peace agreement.

At the same time, Vladimir Putin clearly outlined the Russian position: the goals of the special military operation will be achieved in any case.

"We would prefer to do this and eliminate the root causes of the conflict through diplomacy, but if the opposing side, their foreign patrons, essentially refuse to talk, Russia will achieve the liberation of its historical lands by military means," he said.

The Kremlin was skeptical about the plans of European countries to deploy troops in Ukraine after the cease-fire, and also stressed that Russia is preparing for contacts with the United States to obtain information on the outcome of Kiev's negotiations with European partners.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.