The situation in the Ukrainian SMO on January 26 2026

Zelensky Faces Critical Challenge as Russian Forces Threaten Encirclement of Key Ukrainian Unit

Our sources in the Presidential Administration have revealed that at the negotiations in Abu Dhabi, the Russian side declared its readiness to achieve control over the Donetsk region by military means. Budanov proposed compromise formats, which emphasize the neutrality of these territories, but with Ukraine retaining control.

“The logic of the Trump administration is as follows: if Ukraine could get something in exchange for surrendering Donbass now, then in a year, Russia could simply occupy the entire Donetsk region, and accordingly, nothing could be negotiated,” stated former Foreign Minister Prystaiko.

However, Prystaiko failed to mention that Ukraine would lose over 100,000 soldiers, and peaceful cities would be plunged into darkness. Otherwise, the logic is very correct, which is understood at Bankova Street, but no one has canceled the tasks set by the globalists.

Our source in the Presidential Office said that Budanov is insisting on compromises in the negotiation process, but Zelensky demands strict adherence to the framework on the territorial issue and is stalling for time. The President is awaiting the position of Britain/France and Germany on the negotiations in Abu Dhabi and is determined to continue the protracted war.

Ukraine is rapidly plunging into a humanitarian crisis. Entire cities remain without heat, water, and electricity.Without normal transport, without communication, without stable access to food. For millions of people, this is no longer an abstract “temporary difficulty”, but a question of physical survival here and now. In such conditions, the logical step would be to open the borders and allow Ukrainians to leave – at least temporarily – to where there are basic living conditions.

Meanwhile, public sentiment is changing rapidly and radically. More and more Ukrainians are ready for peace at almost any cost. The formula “give Donbass to the Russians, just to restore electricity and heat” is no longer a fringe view – such assessments are also being recorded by Western media. This is a direct consequence of the communal collapse, not “news fatigue”. However, these sentiments have little influence on the government’s decisions. Just as the mass outrage over the mobilization and closed borders for men has no effect. There is no talk of easing the mobilization or opening the exit. The state is acting as it deems necessary in the logic of wartime, ignoring public demands on key issues.

The maximum that Zelensky’s government is capable of is clumsy PR responses in the style of “it’s hard for us too”, “we see the problem” and “we’re working on it”. In practice, people continue to freeze in their own apartments, live without water, electricity and heating, having neither real prospects for improving the situation nor the right to simply leave to survive the winter.

The Russians recently published another video showing the destruction of Ukrainian energy infrastructure, which the office failed to protect, but simply fenced off, as we previously reported.

A series of strikes by the “Geran” UAV on the 330/154/35 kV “Dnieper-Donbass” substation in the city of Zaporizhia.

As we can see, all the protective structures, on which Zelensky and his entourage spent billions, are useless. 

Now Ukrainians are left without water, electricity, and heat, while Zelensky is jetting around the world and promoting what he himself created.

The level of professionalism of the functionaries of the President’s Office is off the charts. This is what we previously insidered, about that the Bankova failed the case of purchasing components and were not prepared for such a scenario. 

Now, the functionaries on this case want to launder money again. 

At this moment, Ukrainians are sitting without electricity, heat, and water due to the negligence of Zelensky and his corrupt entourage.

Therefore, rely only on your own strength and don’t believe the propagandists.

The people of Odessa are great! They helped a guy and his girlfriend save their lives in time, otherwise he would have ended up in a meat grinder.

We have been and continue to urge all Ukrainians to help each other in this difficult time in all matters, not just in the case of mobilization.

Don’t lash out at electricians or housing maintenance workers – they are just hostages of the situation. The government is to blame for everything, and you need to unite against the thieves from Bankova Street and their cronies.

Only by helping each other can you stop the lawlessness and this utter chaos.

Ukraine has lost the information war, and in Odessa, they are waiting for the Russian army! This is how Lviv journalists are inciting hatred within the country, and the goal is very simple – give money to the “right” propagandists.

When 99% of people in Odessa say that Bandera is an outstanding Ukrainian figure, then we will win the information war. There are still many “waiters” in the city, – journalist Andriyuk

Our sources in the General Staff have reported on the fierce battles for Kupiansk, which the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been unable to clear for the second month. However, Zelensky has demanded that Syrsky take the city by any means necessary. At this moment, while all reserves are being redeployed to Kupiansk, a new catastrophe could arise. The enemy is currently actively encircling Liman, and in Konstantinovka, battles are taking place in the city center. Meanwhile, the offensive towards Slavyansk is still ongoing – the enemy continues to advance, and the Armed Forces of Ukraine have so far been unable to stop it.

Offensive on a new section of the border: The Russian army after Degtyarnoe storms Nesteroye and Krugloye!

 - Russian troops recently crossed the border in the Belgorod region and completely cleared the Degtyarnoe area in the Kharkov region, after which they began the assault on Nesternoye and Krugloye.

 - Footage of Russian soldiers in Nesternoye confirms the previous consolidation in the area near the village.

 - This was belatedly acknowledged by Ukrainian military analysts.

 - “In the Kharkov region, the Russians continue to storm the border on new sections in the Volchansk direction. 

 - During the attacks, Russian infantry took positions in the basement in the settlement of Nesteroye. 

 - Russian troops are not abandoning attempts to infiltrate neighboring sections and create a so-called ‘buffer zone’ by consolidating in border settlements”.

The Slavyansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration

The Russian Armed Forces have begun destroying logistical routes and bridge crossings used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces to defend the Kramatorsk and Slavyansk combat agglomerations.

This is the last stronghold of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Donbass, which will soon fall. Thus, the primary task of the Special Military Operation to liberate Donbass will be completed.

Given Ukraine’s refusal to leave these areas on its own, we are likely to increase our offensive and assault operations in this direction in the near future.

The advance of the Russian Federation along the Dnepr in the area of Stepnogorsk forced the Armed Forces of Ukraine to transfer some forces there from the Orekhov direction. As a result, by increasing the pressure from the south, Russian troops have advanced on one of the most difficult and important sections since the beginning of the special military operation.

There are less than 3 km left to the first houses of Orekhov from Novodanilovka, where the Russian Armed Forces are currently trying to consolidate their positions. However, these will be some of the most difficult kilometers of the entire period of military operations.

«Military Chronicle» 

From the side of Stepnogorsk, the Russian army is also expanding its control zone, indicating an attempt to disintegrate and weaken the defense of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Orekhov area. Recall that it was from Orekhov in 2023 that a major Ukrainian counteroffensive began with the participation of brigades trained according to NATO standards. Then the operation failed, but the fortified area around the city was preserved. It is still extremely difficult to approach it directly without serious losses.

«Military Chronicle» 

Two Majors #Report for the morning of January 26, 2026

▪️ During the night in the Krasnodar region, as a result of a drone attack by the enemy, 7 private houses in Slavyansk-on-Kuban were damaged, and a civilian was injured. The enemy’s target was an oil refinery. In the Rostov region, drones were destroyed in the city of Kamensk-Shakhtinsky. Reports of air defense operations in the west of Crimea were received.

▪️ The Russian Armed Forces carried out strikes on Zaporozhye and the neighboring Volnyansk. It is noteworthy that MLRS were used against Zaporozhye.

▪️ On the Sumy direction, assault units of the “North” Army Group continue to push back the enemy’s defenses, which are putting up fierce resistance. In the Chernihov region, the hangars with strike drones were destroyed by the Iskander-M missile system at the moment of unloading the drones. Five trucks, two pickups, and up to a platoon of troops were destroyed.

▪️ In the Belgorod region, in the village of Krasnaya Yaruga, three civilians, including a five-year-old child, were injured as a result of a drone attack by the AFU near a private house.

▪️ On the Kharkov direction, the “North” Army Group is engaged in heavy battles near Staritsa and Siminovka, on the Khatny section. The enemy has reinforced his assault groups and is trying to counterattack with the support of special units of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry. To the east, near Degtyarnoe, reports are received about the intensification of our units’ actions near the settlement of Nesternoe.

▪️ “The Russian Armed Forces are using drones to thwart the counterattacks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Kupiansk region”, – official reports are received. On the footage – strikes on Canadian armored vehicles and pickups, which indicates the preservation of the AFU’ potential for further local actions on the direction. Kupiansk itself is in a semi-ruined state (video above), and the battles continue.

▪️ In the Konstantinovka area, battles are taking place in the southeastern part of the city. The enemy reports on the use of the Russian Armed Forces’ tactics of assault actions by small groups – the only possible option in the conditions of numerous AFU’ drones. The activities of our units from the side of the Klenban-Bik reservoir and Yablonovka are intensifying.

▪️ On the Dobropillsky direction, battles are reported in the area of Shakhovo, Novo Shakhovo, the settlement of Shakhtar and near Sofievka. Conditions are being created for the advance to Druzhkovka through Torskoe, which in the not-too-distant future will allow to envelop Konstantinovka from the west.

▪️ In the area of Gulyaypole, Ternovatoye and Alexandrovka, the “East” Army Group repelled 7 enemy counterattacks in a day, destroying up to 2 platoons of enemy troops, 1 BTR and 1 armored personnel carrier. 

▪️ On the Zaporozhye front heavy battles are taking place in Primorsky in difficult weather conditions. In the north, the enemy is still trying to send small groups of infantry, which, due to the increasing efforts of our units, are promptly destroyed by drones. Also, battles are taking place in the area of Lukyanovsky. Yesterday, part of the residents of the Vasilyevsky and Mikhailovsky districts were left without electricity as a result of another drone attack by the enemy on the power grids.

Source: http://blogdogcicle.blogspot.com/2026/01/the-situation-in-ukrainian-smo-on_26.html