Zelenskyy visits Kupiansk following Ukrainian Defense Forces' successful operation
Photo: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Getty Images)
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in the Kupiansk area, where fighting is ongoing. He greeted the Ukrainian military personnel involved in liberating the city and thanked each unit for their achievements on the front line.
The Ukrainian leader recorded a video message near the stele located at the entrance to the city of Kupiansk.
"Today, in the Kupiansk area, our soldiers are achieving results for Ukraine. Many Russians have talked about Kupiansk, and we can see that. I was there, and I congratulated the guys. I thank every unit, everyone who is fighting here, everyone who is destroying the Russian troops," Zelenskyy says.
He stresses that today it is crucial to achieve results on the front lines so that Ukraine can achieve results in diplomacy.
"This is how it works: all our strong positions within the country are strong positions in the talks on ending the war. Thank you to every soldier! I am proud of you! Thank you to all our Ground Forces — today is your day. Thank you, guys," the President adds.
Battles for Kupiansk
At the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russian troops occupied Kupiansk. However, in the fall of the same year, Ukrainian defenders liberated the city as part of the successful 2022 Kharkiv counteroffensive.
Map: The DeepState project confirmed that the Ukrainian Defense Forces blocked the Russians in Kupiansk and cleared the entire northwestern outskirts of the city
Subsequently, active fighting resumed in the Kupiansk direction. The first attempts by the Russians to break through became known in November 2024. Intense fighting ensued.
Today, the command of the 2nd Khartiia Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine announced a successful counterattack by the Ukrainian Defense Forces near Kupiansk. During October and November, the soldiers defeated several Russian battalions and assault units.
The villages of Kindrashivka and Radkivka and their surroundings have been liberated, and Ukrainian defenders have broken through to the Oskil River north of Kupiansk, completely blocking the occupiers' ground routes into the city.
"Fighting in the city center is still ongoing, but eventually Ukrainian Kupiansk will be completely liberated!" says Colonel Ihor Obolenskyi, call sign Kornet, of the 2nd Khartiia Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine.
Currently, the Russian group in Kupiansk numbers more than 200 servicemen and is surrounded. Ground access for Russians to Kupiansk is completely blocked.
All exits from the gas pipeline, which the enemy used to enter the city, are also under fire control. Russia is supplied exclusively by aerial drones.
On November 20, the head of the Russian General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, reported to Vladimir Putin about the occupation of Kupiansk by Russian troops. It is noteworthy that this was denied not only by the Ukrainian military, but even Russian war correspondents were also skeptical about this statement.
