Battles Reported Near Kupiansk as Russian Troops Advance

Units of the Russian Armed Forces have launched battles for the city of Kupiansk in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, war correspondent Andrey Rudenko said on Telegram.

"Kupiansk! The operation to liberate the city has begun," the correspondent wrote.

War correspondent Yury Kotenok also reported fighting on the northern approaches to Kupiansk. According to him, Russian assault groups are attempting to gain a foothold in the villages of Kondrashivka and Mala Shapkivka, located north of the city.

Earlier, it was reported that Russian troops had made significant advances within the city limits of Vovchansk in the same region, with forces reportedly making successful gains in the eastern part of the city.

Kupiansk: Strategic Importance in Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Kupiansk is a key logistical and transportation hub in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region. Situated along major rail and road routes, it has served as a critical supply line for both Ukrainian and, earlier in the war, Russian forces. The city connects eastern Ukraine to the Donbas front and was used by Russia in 2022 as a staging area for military operations before being recaptured by Ukraine in its September counteroffensive.

Control over Kupiansk would allow Russia to disrupt Ukrainian supply chains, project force deeper into Kharkiv region, and potentially open the way for further advances toward the Donbas or into northeastern Ukraine. Its strategic value makes it a focal point in ongoing military operations.

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Kupiansk or Kupyansk is a city in Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine. It serves as the administrative center of Kupiansk Raion. It is also an important railroad junction for the oblast. Kupiansk hosts the administration of Kupiansk urban hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine. It had a population of 26,627 (2022 estimate). In February 2024, more than 3,500 people remain in Kupyansk. Until 18 July 2020, Kupiansk was incorporated as a city of oblast significance and the center of Kupiansk Municipality. The municipality was abolished in July 2020, as part of administrative reforms in Ukraine, which reduced the number of raions in Kharkiv Oblast to seven. The area of Kupiansk Municipality was merged into Kupiansk Raion.