Ukrainian forces push Russian troops out of northern Kupiansk
Photo: Ukrainian Armed Forces drive Russian troops out of northern districts of Kupiansk (Getty Images)
Russian forces are trying to secure positions in the northern part of Kupiansk in the Kharkiv region. However, Ukrainian units have been mounting active counterattacks in recent days, driving the enemy out of its fortifications, said Viktor Trehubov, head of the Communications Department of the Joint Forces Group.
He said urban fighting is ongoing and that Russian troops are currently trying to hold positions directly in Kupiansk’s northern districts, while Ukrainians in recent days have been quite effective in forcing them out.
The spokesman added that logistics for reaching Kupiansk are extremely complicated both for Ukrainian units and for the enemy.
"Every attempt to get in there at all is a separate, very complicated task, even when we are talking about an infantry group. If we are talking about any kind of transport, even more so," he explained.
According to the officer, drones and assault infantry play an important role in the fighting.
Trehubov noted that many unmanned systems are deployed along roads and near infrastructure, waiting for enemy movement, so the main burden of fighting now falls on assault units and drone operators.
"There are a lot of drones lying along roads and on fiber-optic infrastructure, just waiting for something to pass, so the main strain now falls on the shoulders of assault infantry on both sides, and on infantry overall, as well as on the effectiveness of the UAV operators," Trehubov said.
He also drew attention to the threat of air strikes and the use of guided aerial bombs (KAB). Because Kupiansk is close to the Russian border, the enemy’s air component additionally complicates the situation.
Despite this, Trehubov emphasized that the defense is holding thanks to the courage and effective actions of Ukrainian infantry, particularly assault units.
Situation in Kupiansk
In September, Russian forces managed to break into the city using a gas pipeline, sharply escalating the situation in that direction. Enemy sabotage groups entered Kupiansk from the north.
Ukrainian defenders later blew up the pipe that was used by the Russian soldiers, forcing them to cross the Oskil River on rafts and boats.
It was also reported that Russian propaganda earlier spread a TikTok video about the alleged complete encirclement of Kupiansk by Russian troops. That footage proved to be fake.
According to the General Staff’s morning update, over the past day, there were 11 enemy attacks on the Kupiansk direction, all of which the Defense Forces successfully repelled in the areas of Pishchane, Petropavlivka, Kupiansk, and Hlushkivka.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine plans to fully clear Kupiansk of Russian troops. Dates have already been set for this operation.
