Russian military forces have allegedly initiated a full-scale attack on the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kupyansk, following a partial breach of Ukrainian defences north of the city. According to reports, Ukrainian forces have been battling to fend off the Russian troops who have gradually moved towards the city from various directions.
Since the autumn of 2022, Kupyansk has remained under Ukrainian control, following a surprise offensive in the Kharkiv region that resulted in its recapture. However, recent reports suggest that small Russian units have managed to penetrate the city’s northern outskirts, despite Ukrainian commanders’ insistence that they have thwarted the effort.
Various Russian war bloggers on Telegram have shared that infantry units have infiltrated the city’s northern industrial area, where intense combat is currently underway. Ukraine’s General Staff has confirmed attacks on the city’s outskirts, but has not acknowledged any fighting within the city itself.
For several months, Ukrainian troops have been struggling to resist Russian advancement along the extensive frontline that stretches nearly 1,100 kilometers. Ukrainian military expert, Oleksandr Musiyenko, describes the situation as “tense” but maintains that Ukrainian forces are making headway in weakening the Russian siege effort.
Besides Kupyansk, Russian forces are reportedly closing in on other cities such as Pokrovsk in the Donbas region, and have partial control over Toretsk and Chasiv Yar. Should these cities fall into Russian hands, it could pose a significant threat to Ukrainian supply and logistics routes across the Donbas.
In response, Ukraine has increased its use of drones to target military bases and industrial locations, including fuel depots within Russia. A recent attack launched on November 15 targeted the southern Russian region of Krasnodar but resulted in no casualties according to Governor Veniamin Kondratyev.
Ukrainian forces have reportedly claimed control over more than 1,200 square kilometers of Russian territory following a surprise incursion in the Kursk region earlier in August. Musiyenko suggests that the intensified Russian attacks elsewhere are a strategic move to divert Ukrainian forces from Kursk to other fronts, with the ultimate aim of capturing the Donetsk region.
In a recent report, Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed that over 80 Ukrainian drones were detected over Russian territory and the occupied Crimean Peninsula, with several being shot down by air defense systems.
This development followed a drone and missile strike launched by Russia against the Ukrainian Black Sea port city of Odesa, a significant hub for Ukrainian grain and agricultural exports. The attack resulted in the death of one person, injury to 10 others, and left 40,000 people without heating following damage to a main pipeline.
