Russian troops may complete the operation to liberate Volchansk before the end of the year, according to military expert and air-defense historian Yuri Knutov, who discussed the situation with NEWS.ru. He noted that the pace of fighting in this sector now largely hinges on weather conditions and on how effectively Russian units can break the supply chain of the Ukrainian forces.

Knutov explained that Russian units already control nearly the entire city. By his assessment, around 85–90 percent of Volchansk is under the control of the Russian army, with the remaining pocket concentrated in the southeastern part of the settlement. Progress, however, is slowed by two key obstacles: Ukrainian reserves recently deployed to the area and the dense forest belts surrounding the city.

The expert suggested that if Russian forces manage to disrupt the delivery of reinforcements, ammunition, medical supplies and food to Ukrainian positions, the operation could reasonably be completed before New Year.

Earlier reports indicated that Russian troops had consolidated their positions in Volchansk and were completing clearing operations. According to the Telegram channel SHOT, Ukrainian formations have suffered heavy losses, with the figures described as being in the tens of thousands. The Russian Defense Ministry has not commented on these claims.