On January 5, Ukrainian forces resumed offensive operations in at least three areas in the Ukrainian fortified area in Kursk Oblast and made tactical progress.
Russian forces also advanced southeast of Sudzha and counterattacked against intensified Ukrainian attacks southeast of Korenevo and north of Sudzha on January 5.
This is noted in the daily analysis of the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
Russian sources have expressed concern about the ability of the Russian military to respond to Ukraine's ongoing efforts to integrate electronic warfare (EW) and long-range strike capabilities with ground operations.
Russian forces recently advanced east of Pokrovsk amid renewed offensive operations in the area, likely aimed at supporting the encirclement of Pokrovsk from the northeast.
The recent intensification of operations in the area of responsibility of the Russian 41st Army east of Pokrovsk indicates that the Russian military command still views the encirclement of Pokrovsk as one of its key operational objectives in this area.
It is possible that Russian forces will also use the relatively weaker Ukrainian defensive positions east and south of Pokrovsk as part of the ongoing effort to seize any territory, regardless of the relative tactical insignificance of that territory.
Elements of the Russian 5th Motorized Rifle Brigade (51st Army, former 1st Army Corps of the Donetsk People's Republic) are reportedly deployed between the Pokrovsk and Kurakhovo directions - the two highest-priority sectors of the front line for Russia.