Russian forces bombard Kupyansk with heavy weapons, Ukraine holds city

He said the city’s proximity to the front line allows Russian troops to strike with tanks, artillery, mortars, guided aerial bombs, and FPV drones.

According to Besedin, enemy drones monitor all approaches to Kupyansk as well as roads inside the city.

Despite the pressure, Kupyansk and surrounding communities remain under the control of Ukraine’s Defense Forces, which continue counter-sabotage operations to detect and eliminate Russian infiltration groups.

As of Sept. 25, about 680 civilians remain on the right bank of Kupyansk, and a total of 1,660 people are still in the wider community, refusing to evacuate, the administration said.

Situation around Kupyansk

In early September, the DeepState monitoring project reported that Russian forces were trying to penetrate Kupyansk and entrench themselves on the outskirts of the city to push further west. On Sept. 12, analysts noted that Russian troops had crossed the Oskil River through a gas pipeline, entering Kupyansk using wheeled platforms.

On Sept. 13, Ukraine’s General Staff said the Defense Forces had secured the pipeline exit used by Russian troops and that the city remained under Ukrainian control.

On Sept. 17 and 18, DeepState reported further Russian advances in the Kupyansk area.

Besedin said on Sept. 18 that counter-sabotage operations in the city were ongoing.