Ukraine Reaffirms Control Over Kupiansk Following Brief Russian Incursion
Ukraine has confirmed it maintains full control of Kupiansk, a strategic northeastern city, after Russian forces — some reportedly disguised in Ukrainian uniforms — briefly attempted to breach the city’s outskirts.
The Ukrainian military’s general staff posted on Telegram that claims of a Russian presence in Kupiansk were unfounded. This follows reports that Russian troops had temporarily entered the city in the Kharkiv region on Wednesday, marking their first approach since retreating in September 2022. Kupiansk, an essential railway hub, had a pre-war population of 26,000 but has since dwindled to around 3,000 due to relentless shelling and evacuation orders from local officials.
After initially seizing Kupiansk in early 2022, Russian forces were ousted seven months later in a significant Ukrainian counteroffensive, which stands as one of Kyiv’s pivotal victories in the ongoing conflict. Recent skirmishes saw Russian troops make an aggressive push in four waves on Wednesday, though Ukrainian forces managed to repel the incursion, according to Andriy Besedin, head of the Kupyansk City Military Administration. Besedin noted that Russian forces reached the industrial area and suburbs before Ukrainian troops neutralized them, thwarting attempts to deploy heavy armored vehicles and infantry.
A widely-used war map from Ukrainian monitor DeepState, which collaborates closely with the defense ministry, corroborates Ukraine’s assertion of full control, showing Russian forces concentrating near the city’s northern outskirts.
The latest Kupiansk assault is part of a broader Russian effort to expand offensive operations along Ukraine’s sprawling front line, which exceeds 800 miles. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Russia has mobilized additional hardware, including tanks and armored combat vehicles, to reinforce attacks on the front.
As the battle intensifies, incoming U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s recent election has raised questions about America’s role in the conflict. Trump’s advisors indicated he intends to bring both sides to the negotiating table and push for a freeze on the front line to end hostilities. Michael Waltz, Trump’s nominee for national security advisor, stated, “The president is focused on ending the war, not its continuation.”
However, both Russian and Ukrainian officials have voiced resistance to a ceasefire that would freeze current positions. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov argued that halting the conflict now could yield an unsatisfactory outcome, while Ukrainian opposition leader Kira Rudik warned that a cessation would expose Ukraine to further invasion. “If Ukraine stops fighting, there will be no Ukraine,” Rudik wrote on social media. “If Russia stops fighting, there will be no war.”
The situation in Kupiansk remains a critical front as both Ukrainian and Russian forces prepare for the next stages of the conflict.
Following Brief Russian Incursion
Ukraine has confirmed it maintains full control of Kupiansk, a strategic northeastern city, after Russian forces — some reportedly disguised in Ukrainian uniforms — briefly attempted to breach the city’s outskirts.
The Ukrainian military’s general staff posted on Telegram that claims of a Russian presence in Kupiansk were unfounded. This follows reports that Russian troops had temporarily entered the city in the Kharkiv region on Wednesday, marking their first approach since retreating in September 2022. Kupiansk, an essential railway hub, had a pre-war population of 26,000 but has since dwindled to around 3,000 due to relentless shelling and evacuation orders from local officials.
After initially seizing Kupiansk in early 2022, Russian forces were ousted seven months later in a significant Ukrainian counteroffensive, which stands as one of Kyiv’s pivotal victories in the ongoing conflict. Recent skirmishes saw Russian troops make an aggressive push in four waves on Wednesday, though Ukrainian forces managed to repel the incursion, according to Andriy Besedin, head of the Kupyansk City Military Administration. Besedin noted that Russian forces reached the industrial area and suburbs before Ukrainian troops neutralized them, thwarting attempts to deploy heavy armored vehicles and infantry.
A widely-used war map from Ukrainian monitor DeepState, which collaborates closely with the defense ministry, corroborates Ukraine’s assertion of full control, showing Russian forces concentrating near the city’s northern outskirts.
The latest Kupiansk assault is part of a broader Russian effort to expand offensive operations along Ukraine’s sprawling front line, which exceeds 800 miles. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Russia has mobilized additional hardware, including tanks and armored combat vehicles, to reinforce attacks on the front.
As the battle intensifies, incoming U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s recent election has raised questions about America’s role in the conflict. Trump’s advisors indicated he intends to bring both sides to the negotiating table and push for a freeze on the front line to end hostilities. Michael Waltz, Trump’s nominee for national security advisor, stated, “The president is focused on ending the war, not its continuation.”
However, both Russian and Ukrainian officials have voiced resistance to a ceasefire that would freeze current positions. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov argued that halting the conflict now could yield an unsatisfactory outcome, while Ukrainian opposition leader Kira Rudik warned that a cessation would expose Ukraine to further invasion. “If Ukraine stops fighting, there will be no Ukraine,” Rudik wrote on social media. “If Russia stops fighting, there will be no war.”
The situation in Kupiansk remains a critical front as both Ukrainian and Russian forces prepare for the next stages of the conflict.