Ukraine: Kupiansk situation ‘complicated’ as Russia tries to break through defenses

Ukraine’s military said on Wednesday the situation in the Kupiansk sector was “complicated” as Russian forces were trying to break through Ukrainian defenses in an attempt to capture Kupiansk.

“Due to the complication of the situation in the Kupiansk direction, I spent most of the day working in the units that defend the approaches to the city. The enemy's assault detachments, mainly made up of prisoners, are trying to break through the defenses of our troops in various directions, with the aim of blocking, and later capturing, Kupiansk,” said Ukrainian Ground Forces Commander, Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrskyi, according to state news agency Ukrinform.

He added: “Based on the results of work with the commanders in this area, a number of important decisions were made that will ensure the reliability of the defense.”

The Russian defense ministry had earlier announced its forces conducted offensive operations in the designated areas of responsibility in the Kupiansk direction, and claimed that nine attacks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were repulsed.

Spokesman Igor Konashenkov said: “In the Kupiansk direction, the assault detachments of the Western Group of Forces conducted offensive operations in the designated areas of responsibility and improved the position along the front line. With the support of aviation and artillery fire, nine attacks of assault groups of the 14th, 32nd, 44th mechanized, 95th air assault brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the areas of the settlements of Novoselovskoye, Stelmakhovka of the Lugansk People's Republic, Olshana and Sinkovka of the Kharkiv region.”

He added that Ukraine lost up to 85 Ukrainian servicemen, 2 armored combat vehicles, 4 pickup trucks, as well as US-made M109 Paladin and Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery mounts.

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