Kupyansk remains key battleground as Russian advances stall
The situation in the Kupyansk district of Kharkiv Oblast remains complex, with Russian forces still possessing the capabilities and reserves to attempt to achieve their assigned objectives, a Ukrainian military commander said on TV on Nov. 21.
Yuriy Fedorenko, commander of the Achilles battalion of the 92nd Koshovyi Otaman Ivan Sirko Separate Assault Brigade, provided an update on the situation in Kupyansk as of Nov. 21, during a broadcast of the United News telethon.
The enemy has been tasked with reaching Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi and seizing the left-bank Kupyansk district by Nov. 1, Fedorenko said. However, due to the fierce resistance of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the aggressor failed to achieve its goal.
"Over the past week, the enemy has not made any significant or substantial gains on the battlefield," Fedorenko said.
“Although it suffers very serious losses every day, in particular in manpower. Now, when the leaves have fallen, we can see that the forest plantations, which are the main logistical routes the enemy is trying to maneuver along, are literally littered with the bodies of the killed occupiers.”
However, the enemy still has the strength and reserves to attempt to complete their assigned task.
"The next deadline set by the generals of the Russian occupation forces is to reach Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi by the New Year," the serviceman noted.
Fedorenko also expressed confidence that the enemy's plans would once again be thwarted by Ukrainian defenders.
Situation in Kupyansk
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported on Nov. 13 that Russian forces attempted to break through the Ukrainian defense on the Kupyansk front. Russian assault groups attacked the positions of Ukrainian troops in four waves.
Some Russian soldiers were dressed in Ukrainian Armed Forces uniforms, which is a violation of the laws and customs of war and constitutes a war crime.
The head of the Kupyansk City Military Administration, Andriy Besedin, reported on Nov. 14 that the Russian airborne troops that breached the left-bank part of Kupyansk on Nov. 13 failed to establish a foothold and were eliminated.
In turn, the head of the Center for Counteracting Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council, Oleksandr Kovalenko, stated that as of the morning of Nov. 14, the situation in Kupyansk was under the control of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Analysts at the U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War reported that the Russian forces have intensified offensive operations near Kupyansk over the past two months. The ISW continues to assess that Russia's capture of Kupyansk would have significant operational consequences.
In the ISW report on Nov. 15, it was noted that Russian forces continued to advance in the eastern part of Kupyansk. According to Russian war correspondents, the Russians have established themselves on the outskirts of the town and are creating logistical networks to support future advances.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Kupyansk on Nov. 18. The Ukrainian leader awarded state honors to the best soldiers and listened to reports from commanders regarding the security and social situation in the Donetsk and Kharkiv oblasts.
The military war may be swinging in our favor, but the information war continues.
Just as an army needs soldiers, so does a free society need its journalists to ensure that people have access to honest, trustworthy voices to understand the world around them.
For the past five years, The New Voice of Ukraine has been working tirelessly to push back against Russian narratives and defend democracy. But we cannot do it alone.
Please consider supporting us on Patreon for just $5 a month – your donation does directly to supporting journalists and ensuring that this front of the infowar says solid and defended.
Thank you.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google News
