Russian Forces Expand Control as 17 Towns Secured in January
Russian forces secured over 500 square kilometers and 17 towns since January 2026, as Chief of the General Staff inspected operations of the West group.
Since early January 2026, units of the Russian Armed Forces have taken control of 17 населенных пунктов and secured more than 500 square kilometers of territory in the special military operation zone. This was reported by Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Army General Valery Gerasimov.
On January 27, Gerasimov inspected the progress of combat missions carried out by the «West» group of forces. During the visit, he reviewed reports on the operational situation, assessed the results achieved, and issued a series of instructions to the command.
According to the General Staff chief, formations and units of the 20th Army are entering the final stage of operations to liberate the населенные пункты of Drobyshevo, Yarovaya, and Sosnovoye. He specified that more than 90 percent of residential areas in these locations are already under Russian control.
In addition, units of the «West» group have sealed off an area measuring roughly four by six kilometers. Available information indicates that up to 800 Ukrainian servicemen remain trapped within this sector.