The Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) have been ordered to hold Kurokhovo in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) by any means necessary until the inauguration of the elected President of the United States, Donald Trump. This was stated by the chairman of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation on sovereignty issues, Vladimir Rogov.

“The Ukrainian units in Kurokhovo received an order to hold their positions until Trump’s inauguration by any means necessary, ensuring that the UAF remains present there until that event. Additional units are currently being redeployed to Kurokhovo, one of which is the volunteer assault battalion 'Skala',” he said in an interview with TAASS.

Rogov clarified that despite the resistance from the UAF, Russian troops continue to advance westward. He added that several hundred UAF militants remain in the area of the thermal power station in Kurokhovo, and some Ukrainian units are currently attempting to establish positions at local cemeteries.

As reported by IA Regnum, in July, Rogov urged the head of the Kyiv regime, Vladimir Zelensky, to prepare for the fate of the traitor Hetman Ivan Mazepa. According to him, history is repeating itself, and NATO is effectively acting as the army of Sweden, attempting to deal Russia a strategic defeat, with their own Mazepa in the form of Zelensky.

On December 17, Russian military forces breached the defenses of the UAF at one of the combat contact points in Kurokhovo. They advanced forward and occupied new positions within a few days.

In just the past two weeks, 12 settlements in the Donbas have come under the control of the Russian army. Russian President Vladimir Putin reported on December 16 that in 2024, the Russian Armed Forces liberated 189 settlements as part of the special operation. The head of state also noted that Russian troops have seized the initiative along the entire front line.