Heavy fighting continues in Toretsk, especially in the southern Zabalka district of the city.

Russian forces reportedly broke back into the eastern part of this district, occupying the school and a number of 3-story buildings.

In the south, after reports of success in pushing Russia from the Zabalka district, Ukrainian forces reportedly went on the offensive again and recaptured the Terykon, a forest, and a series of forest plantations.

The first snow is falling in Sumy. The same is expected for Kursk.

Russia has likely restarted assault operations near Novodonetske in the Velyka Novosilka direction.

Al-Mayadeen reported that 23 Israeli soldiers were killed in southern Lebanon yesterday - 7 of which were killed during clashes with Hezbollah's garrison stationed at the town of Bint Jbeil. I expect that if Israel goes through with the assault on Bint Jbeil, it will be very costly for them.

An Israeli airstrike near Beirut's international airport.

Israeli forces have reportedly restarted assault operations in the village of Aalma El Chaeb on the western sector. Fierce clashes are ongoing with Hezbollah fighters stationed there.

Another Israeli airstrike on Beirut is reported

The situation of the Ukrainian army is much more difficult than it seems: the Russian army has completely broken through the eastern defences of Kurakhove. There were and are not enough troops to fill the trenches. Dalnye is about to be taken by the Russians. Meanwhile the Ukrainian retreat is accelerating in the southern salient. Combing operations in Antonivka are already taking place since the abandonment of the locality to the western defences. In addition, Russian forces are advancing easily north of Maksymivka and Bohoyavlenka. Troops are closer to Kostiantynopolske than to Uspenivka.
Most worryingly, the order to withdraw from Kurakhove has not yet been given, and withdrawal is becoming less feasible by the day. Only the urban area and the thermal power station offer a place of cover and entrenchment. However, from a military point of view, the Ukrainian fortress's days are numbered.

Russian forces have reportedly begun attacking in the direction of Romanivka, in an attempt to cut off the Ukrainian cauldron.

Russian forces have reportedly advanced around Maksymivka, taking up new treeline positions in two different directions.

More from Beirut.

In the Pokrovsk direction, a Ukrainian source reported that Russian forces have fully captured the villages of Hryhorivka and Petrivka. This may have been done by crossing the Solona river.

Further south, they reported that fighting continues in Yurivka, while a Russian forward troop concentration point was destroyed in Novooleksiivka.

Russian forces have reportedly advanced up the treelines south and west of Novodarivka and captured the village.

Russian forces have reportedly restarted assault operations on the northern flank of Bakhmut and took up new positions in a treeline.

Moving in a pincer movement, they apparently took a foothold in the southern and northern ends of the treeline.

A Ukrainian monitoring channel reported that actions have been noted which indicates preparations for a missile attack involving Tu-95s or Tu-22s today. There are also 2 Kalibr carriers in the Black Sea with a total salvo of up to 16 missiles.

They put the probability of a large-scale attack at 50%.

Almost all of the Ukrainian advances in the Bakhmut direction during the summer 2023 counteroffensive have now been reversed.

Geolocated footage indicates that Russian forces have advanced in the Kostyantynivka direction, and eliminated most, if not all of the Ukrainian bridgehead on the eastern bank of the Siversky-Donets canal.

Ukraine began a retreat from this area after likely losing control of the northern part of the bridgehead. They blew up a crossing over the canal as they left. Russia then likely filled this grey zone by advancing along the two parallel treelines, seizing fortifications along the way.

As this advance is on the tactical heights, the next battles across the canal will be easier than in other areas. This can also be attributed to Ukraine falling back to low-lying ground.

+ ~10.1km² in favour of Russia.

Geolocated footage indicates that Russian forces have advanced on the South Donetsk front and captured the village of Antonivka.

After gaining a foothold in the eastern buildings, the situation began to deteriorate for the AFU. The expansion of this foothold started out slow but began to speed up as they approached the central part of the village. Eventually, Ukrainian resistance began to break apart.

Ukraine made a last stand with a few pockets of resistance on the westernmost houses, but Russian infantry conducted assault operations and were able to clear the remaining Ukrainian positions, raising their flag over a heavily damaged house.

+ ~2.36km² in favour of Russia

Recent reports from reliable sources suggest that Russian forces have likely advanced in eastern Kharkiv Oblast and entered the village of Kopanky.

After the reported capture of Pershotravneve, Russian troops likely entered the northern houses of Kopanky, taking up positions there. If this is true, then they would have also seized 3 more treelines to the north of the village.