Ukraine seals Kupiansk amid counter-sabotage operation, 1,600 residents stranded
Photo: Ukrainian law enforcement officer at the site of a strike in Kupiansk (Getty Images)
Kupiansk in the Kharkiv region is fully closed to civilian entry. Ukrainian forces are conducting ongoing operations against Russian saboteurs throughout the city, Andriy Besedin, head of the Kupiansk City Military Administration, said on Suspilne.
He said the situation in the city is critical.
"Kupiansk is a closed area. The city is completely closed to all services," Besedin added.
Only military personnel are allowed to enter, making evacuation difficult. The only option for civilians is to leave the city on foot, where volunteers, the State Emergency Service, or the police can assist them. It is also possible to contact the military directly.
About 1,600 residents remain on both banks of the city. Kupiansk currently lacks electricity, water, gas, and social services.
A counter-sabotage operation is also underway. The Defense Forces are searching every house, entrance, and basement to drive out the enemy and prevent them from establishing a foothold.
Earlier, the Dnipro Operational-Strategic Group of Troops stated that Russian forces continue to attempt to insert personnel and secure positions in Kupiansk. Still, the Defense Forces respond to every such attempt.
Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) note that the Russians do not control any district of Kupiansk. However, they disguise themselves as civilians or Ukrainian soldiers to secretly set up observation posts.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukrainian troops are successfully defending positions in Kupiansk and the surrounding areas.
