Intensive Fighting Halts Russian Advance in Kupiansk, Claims Ukraine

The Ukrainian armed forces have announced that they have successfully halted the Russian advance in the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kupiansk. This contradicts previous reports from a Russian official in the region that Moscow’s forces had gained a foothold on the outskirts of the city.

Russian Presence in Kupiansk Debunked

The General Staff of the Ukrainian army refuted the presence of Russian troops in Kupiansk through a statement on the Telegram messaging app. This came after the DeepState monitoring website claimed that some Russian units, including armored vehicles and a tank, managed to penetrate Kupiansk but suffered heavy losses shortly after.

Strategic Importance of Kupiansk

Kupiansk serves as a major logistical and railway hub in the eastern part of the Kharkiv region. With several highways and five rail lines running through the city, it was temporarily occupied by Russian forces before being liberated during a successful Ukrainian counteroffensive in the fall of 2022.

Russian Attempts to Break Through Ukrainian Defenses

According to General Staff spokesman Andrii Kovalev, Russian forces tried to break through Ukrainian defenses around 2:30 p.m. local time on November 13, launching four waves of attack using 15 vehicles, including tanks and armored fighting vehicles. In a breach of international rules of warfare, the Russian troops reportedly wore Ukrainian uniforms. Kovalev stated that the Ukrainian defenders destroyed “all Russian armored vehicles” and “a significant part of the combat troops.”

Russian Consolidation Efforts Near Kupiansk

Russian troops intensified their efforts near Kupiansk in early September and are now just 2-3 kilometers from the city’s industrial zone in the northeast. In a last-ditch effort, Moscow’s forces are trying to consolidate their positions to reach the Oskil River, which divides the city in two, before winter sets in.