Why Russians relentlessly attempt to seize Kupiansk: Military expert opinions
The Russians continue their attempts to capture Kupiansk (Photo: Getty Images)
The main goal of the Russian occupiers is to break through the defense, reach Kupiansk, and regain lost positions, according to comments of military experts Vladyslav Seleznov and Oleksandr Kovalenko.
According to military expert Vladyslav Seleznov, the advance towards Kupiansk from the side of Russia was meticulously prepared as part of the plan by the Chief of the Russian General Staff Valery Gerasimov. As per the expert's words, its implementation began after sufficient resources had been accumulated and is currently underway not only near Kupiansk.
"Recently, they attempted to attack our positions towards Borova in the Kharkiv region. They were repelled, suffered significant losses, withdrew, and regrouped. Now, they have resumed advancing towards Borova while simultaneously exerting pressure on Kupiansk from the north along the Oskil river and from the southeast from Svatove (the Luhansk region- Ed.)," he stated in a comment.
What the Russians aim to achieve
According to Seleznov, this is being done to, firstly, divert Ukrainian reserves from the southern part of the Zaporizhzhia region and, secondly, in case of success, consolidate their positions along new frontlines. Ideally, they aim to reach Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi with its major railway junction, as railways constitute a key part of Russia's logistics. Then, they might aim to reach a river and, possibly, after establishing a status quo, attempt to push Ukraine into unfavorable negotiations.
"Is this achievable? I believe not. The situation there is highly dynamic. It's no coincidence that Syrskii (Commander of Ground Forces) is actively engaged there. I have faith in his talent, the resilience, and courage of our soldiers, including the additional units that have been recently deployed to reinforce the frontlines," the expert added.
A maneuver to divert attention
Military-political observer of the "Information Resistance" group, Oleksandr Kovalenko, explains that the advance towards Kupiansk and Borova is a kind of demonstration. The opponent doesn't possess a significant offensive potential here, and they are well aware of this fact.
"They need to divert attention. There's a reason why the propaganda started calling Kupiansk the second Bakhmut. They claim that there is only 7 km left to the city, which they somehow spotted from some direction. But the question is different – how far did they advance this 7 km, for example, towards Bakhmut?" the expert says. At first glance, the concentration near Kupiansk might seem significant, but it's insufficient to actually capture the city,' emphasizes he.
According to him, the Russians are building up the hype around Bakhmut in anticipation of another epic battle, although in reality, the advance towards Kupiansk is nothing but a simulation. Partly, it's to convince their internal audience that they are capable of launching offensives.
In fact, the number of troops indicates an unstrategic nature. Even after reaching the Oskil river, to push further westwards towards Kharkiv, the Russians would need significantly larger forces. Forces they currently don't have.
The situation near Kupiansk
Ukrainian military forces have recently been in a defensive position on the Kupiansk front. The enemy is attempting to advance in that area and conducting continuous assaults.
As reported by the Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine yesterday, the enemy has not succeeded near Kupiansk despite their attempts to launch an offensive.
