According to AFP analysis of ISW data, Russian forces captured more than 5,600 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory in 2025, surpassing the combined gains of 2023 and 2024. The largest monthly advance came in November, with around 701 square kilometers captured, though the pace slowed in December to 244 square kilometers, the smallest monthly gain since March. A senior US military official reportedly stated that the war will only worsen for Ukraine and that it is better for Ukraine to negotiate now. The ISW assessed that Russian forces entered Pokrovsk for the first time by July 31, 2025, advancing an average of 0.12 kilometers per day from July 31 to November 26. At this rate, the ISW estimated that Russian forces could seize the remainder of Ukrainian-held Donetsk Oblast by August 2027. However, the contradiction between overall territorial gains and slow daily advances in specific areas highlights differing metrics for assessing the war's trajectory.
Amid the ongoing conflict, a new Ukrainian war film titled 'Killhouse' has drawn attention for its realistic portrayal of drone warfare. According to major media reports, the film is based on a real-life rescue of a couple saved by drone operators. Director Liubomyr Levytskyi said the story stood out after seeing footage of the rescue operation, in which a couple attempting to rescue relatives came under Russian attack. The man was wounded, and a Ukrainian unit used a drone with a message 'Follow me' to guide the woman, who navigated mines and gunfire; the man survived. Levytskyi first turned the story into a documentary titled 'Follow Me' before expanding it into a full-length feature filmed last year in the Kyiv region.
There were air raid alerts. We had to hide. It was a war within a war.
The production involved support from Ukraine's intelligence agencies, including the Security Service of Ukraine and the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, which provided military equipment such as Humvee and MaxxPro vehicles and a Black Hawk helicopter. The film showcases Ukraine's domestically produced drones, including the Shark reconnaissance model. According to its creators, 'Killhouse' is the first feature film to incorporate footage captured by real combat drones. The film features appearances from well-known Ukrainian figures, including former military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov, who was recently named as a new top aide to President Zelenskyy. The film is set in 2024, during a period when Washington and Kyiv are portrayed as allies, with Donald Trump notably absent from the storyline.
During filming, production was frequently interrupted by air raid alerts and cast members sometimes slept in bomb shelters. According to Daily Mail - Home, US journalist Audrey MacAlpine described the experience as 'a war within a war,' noting that there were air raid alerts and they had to hide. Actor Denis Kapustin, speaking to Daily Mail - Home, described the film as 'totally meta and postmodern,' adding that it reflects the evolving nature of modern warfare, which he called 'a race for technological superiority.' After filming, Kapustin joined the real-life 3rd Assault Brigade, part of Ukraine's 3rd Army Corps, and now works as a drone operator.
The movie is totally meta and postmodern.
Ukrainian audiences have responded positively to the film. According to Daily Mail - Home, Mariia Hlazunova of the Dovzhenko Centre described it as interesting to see a film that captures the reality of drone warfare. The film is an action thriller about drone warfare, set in 2024, featuring cameos by Kyrylo Budanov, according to research from four sources.
In political developments, Kyrylo Budanov was named as a new top aide to President Zelenskyy, according to research from four sources. Zelenskyy also said he wants to replace defence minister Denys Shymhal with Mykhailo Fedorov, though the status of this proposal remains unclear.
It's a race for technological superiority.
On the battlefield, a Russian strike on Kharkiv killed at least two people, including a three-year-old child, and injured about 25, according to Ukrainian officials. Russia denied the attack, suggesting it was caused by Ukrainian ammunition. The casualty count has not been independently verified.
Ukrainian officials ordered the evacuation of over 3,000 children and parents from 44 frontline settlements in the Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions. More than 150,000 people have been evacuated from frontline areas since June 1, 2025, according to research from four sources.
It's interesting to see...