The Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office reported this via Telegram A series of airstrikes on the city damaged several residential homes and outbuildings Emergency crews recovered the body of a deceased man from beneath the rubble of one of the houses taking into account the security situation in the area Fragments of an aerial munition were recovered at the site where the civilian was killed Preliminary analysis suggests it was a FAB-1500 bomb equipped with a glide and guidance module Law enforcement has launched a pre-trial investigation under Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (violation of the laws and customs of war) It was reported earlier that on the morning of May 2 While citing and using any materials on the Internet links to the website ukrinform.net not lower than the first paragraph are mandatory citing the translated materials of foreign media outlets is possible only if there is a link to the website ukrinform.net and the website of a foreign media outlet Materials marked as "Advertisement" or with a disclaimer reading "The material has been posted in accordance with Part 3 of Article 9 of the Law of Ukraine "On Advertising" No 1996 and the Law of Ukraine "On the Media" No 2023 and on the basis of an agreement/invoice Online media entity; Media identifier - R40-01421 The reported attack comes just days before Russia's Victory Day parade and three-day "truce." MPs will be able to ask questions and learn more about the details of the agreement in meetings with Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko May 6-7 MP Serhii Sobolev told the news outlet Suspilne The ratification vote is scheduled for May 8 Attacks against the border villages of Bilopillia and Vorozhba damaged civilian infrastructure and triggered emergency evacuations the regional military administration reported "I look forward to working with President Erdogan on getting the ridiculous war between Russia and Ukraine ended — now!" U.S Putin's Victory Day truce "doesn't sound like much if you know where we started from," Trump told reporters at the White House on May 5 Far-right Euroskeptic candidate George Simion head of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan placed second with 20.99% of the vote and the candidate from the ruling coalition "It requires the continuation of contacts between Moscow and Washington which have been launched and are now ongoing," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said set to operate within the Council of Europe will focus on Russia's political and military leaders up to 20 Russian soldiers were killed and their equipment destroyed The move represents an apparent violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions passed in the wake of North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) tests "We are ready to deepen our contribution to the training of the Ukrainian military," Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said on May 5 by Kateryna HodunovaA view of the enterence to Kupiansk (Fermin Torrano/Anadolu via Getty Images)The key northeastern Ukrainian town of Kupiansk now lies only 2 kilometers (1.5 miles) from the front line as Russian troops sustain their attacks head of the Kupiansk town military administration "The situation is very difficult; the front line is 2 kilometers from the town's outskirts Russia is constantly attempting to attack," Besedin said The Russian army also conducted 12 attacks on Jan 8 in the direction of the settlements of Holubivka and Petropavlika located nearly 6 kilometers (3 miles) from Kupiansk The estimated Russian advance near Kupiansk (DeepState/OpenStreetMaps)Russian troops are trying to reach the main Svatove-Kupiansk highway to enter the eastern part of the town "The situation is very difficult and threatens the Kupiansk and Vovchansk sectors (of the front line). Russia is trying to gain a foothold in the town of Dvorichna, on the western bank of the Oskil (River). If they manage to transfer equipment to the western bank, there will be a threat of a rear attack in the Vovchansk sector and Kupiansk," he said Besedin added that residents of the Kupiansk community, despite the poor infrastructure, are not in a hurry to evacuate only five people leave the community's 12 settlements per day remain in the eastern part of the community and firmly refuse to be evacuated according to the local military administration Kateryna Hodunova is a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent She previously worked as a sports journalist in several Ukrainian outlets and was the deputy chief editor at Suspilne Sport Kateryna covered the 2022 Olympics in Beijing and was included in the Special Mentions list at the AIPS Sport Media Awards She holds a bachelor's degree in political journalism from Taras Shevchenko University and a master's degree in political science from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Throughout April 2025, the Achilles 429th Regiment of the Ukrainian Land Forces scored 1,967 hits on enemy targets, destroying or damaging them, the unit's press service reported on social media Operating along the hot fronts of Kupiansk and Dvorichna in the Kharkiv region the regiment struck a wide array of russian assets: from reconnaissance drones like Supercam and Orlan-10 to self-propelled artillery systems facing increasing shortages of armored vehicles have begun resorting to combined assault tactics These often involve convoys primarily made up of wheeled transport such as trucks signaling both desperation and adaptability the Achilles Regiment has continued to successfully target and eliminate not only vehicles but also russian electronic warfare systems The Regiment also released a combat footage compilation showcasing April's most striking hits "the wrath and justice of Ukrainian people." As Defense Express previously reported, in April, the Raid 413th Battalion delivered a significant blow to russian military capabilities neutralizing 11 enemy air defense systems in a single month This targeted campaign included the destruction of five Buk-M3 This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page by Sonya BandouilThe aftermath of the Russian attack on Kupiansk on April 12 (Oleh Syniehubov / Telegram)Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated Russian forces struck a private residence in Kupiansk injuring four civilians and potentially trapping others beneath the rubble Kharkiv Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported that the attack occurred around 6:20 p.m local time during ongoing heavy shelling of the city The injured civilians include a 25-year-old woman, a 26-year-old man, and two women aged 52 and 73, according to Syniehubov’s statement on Telegram Preliminary reports indicate that at least three more individuals may still be trapped under the debris Kharkiv Oblast in Ukraine's northeast is a regular target of Russian missile Kupiansk is located only 2 kilometers (1.5 miles) from the current front line Kupiansk lies at a critical junction between the Russian-occupied Luhansk Oblast and the adjacent Kharkiv Oblast According to Ukrinform, this was reported on Facebook by the head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration “Over the past day, four settlements and the city of Kupiansk suffered from enemy attacks A man was killed in Borova village and four women were injured in Kupiansk,” Syniehubov wrote the enemy attacked the area with 11 guided aerial bombs 9 Shahed-type UAVs and 8 UAVs of unspecified type The shelling in Izium district damaged three administrative buildings four private houses and two cars were damaged A private house was damaged in Kharkiv district Syniehubov added that 253 combat engagements were registered in the last day five combat engagements took place in the area of Vovchansk Six occupants' attacks were registered in the Kupiansk sector Defense forces repelled enemy assaults near Zahryzove and in the directions of Novoozynove and Hlushkivka As Ukrinform reported, the building of the State Tax Inspectorate was damaged in Kupiansk district of Kharkiv region as a result of a Russian attack The press service of the State Emergency Service reported this on Telegram “Kharkiv region: Russian aviation carried out a massive bombing of the city of Kupiansk 4 people were injured as a result of the bombing,” the statement said Later, the head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, Oleh Syniehubov, reported in Telegram: “The number of victims of the shelling of Kupiansk has increased to 7 people.” three fires broke out: outbuildings were burning 14 private houses and several outbuildings were destroyed It is noted that firefighters quickly eliminated the fires A medical team of the State Emergency Service was working at the scene As Ukrinform reported, the Russian army struck Kupiansk and Bohodukhiv districts of Kharkiv region the night before by The Kyiv Independent news deskSmoke rise from the burning house as firefighters continue to extinguish the fires following Russian attacks on Kupiansk 2025 (Ukraine State Emergency Service / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)Russian troops are stepping up efforts to gain territory on the western bank of the Oskil River launching intensified assaults in the Kupiansk direction Kupiansk has remained a focal point of military activity for months, with Russia seeking to reclaim lost ground and create more favorable conditions for broader offensives in Kharkiv Oblast President Volodymyr Zelensky warned in an interview with Le Figaro published on March 26 that Russia is preparing for a new offensive in Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts this spring According to the Operational and Strategic Group of Troops "Khortytsia," Ukrainian forces repelled multiple infantry attacks near the villages of Kamianka In the area around the village of Bohuslavka Russian units — backed by armored vehicles and quad bikes — attempted to break through Ukrainian defensive lines Russian forces are reportedly trying to transfer additional manpower and supplies across the Oskil River aiming to strengthen their position on the western side and secure logistics routes for future operations Ukraine's military says efforts to prevent this crossing remain a priority “Our troops are taking active measures to prevent further advances by enemy forces,” the command reported In March, Ukrainian forces recaptured territory near the village of Dvorichna, about 10 miles north of Kupiansk. Officials say Russian attempts to cross the river have been costly with some units entrenched in small groups but unable to gain firm control Ukraine has also accused Russian commanders of using threats of execution to force troops to retake lost positions near Kupiansk The front line remains just a few kilometers from the city We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent We are here to make sure our readers get quick essential updates about the events in Ukraine Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts Oleh Syniehubov, the head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, announced this on Telegram The enemy targeted the city using a multiple launch rocket system Preliminary reports indicate that two individuals sustained injuries of varying severity: a 63-year-old man and a 35-year-old woman," Syniehubov stated Russian troops dropped two FAB bombs on Kupiansk According to Ukrinform, this was reported by the State Emergency Service (SES) on Facebook "A guided aerial bomb hit a private house an SES medical team also responded at the scene," the report states This was reported by Oleh Syniehubov, Head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration (RMA), on Telegram four settlements and the city of Kharkiv were affected by enemy strikes and 48 people were injured," the message reads Russian forces used a wide range of weapons in the attack on Kharkiv region and an apartment building were damaged; in Bohodukhiv district and a warehouse building were damaged or destroyed; in Izium district Russian forces launched 17 Geran-2 drones targeting four districts: Slobidskyi explosions were heard in Kharkiv in the evening of May 2 A total of 46 people were reported injured The agency reported this on social media posting the relevant video of the defensive effort "A series of precise strikes on enemy vehicles was delivered in Kharkiv region 10 motorcycles and two quadricycles were destroyed Our drones spot and destroy the enemy even in motion," the report says Ukrainian defense forces destroyed a Buk-M3 medium-range air defense system deployed by Russian invaders on one of the key eastern front line axes Photo: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine This was reported in Telegram by the head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration Oleh Syniehubov a private residential building was damaged by shelling from multiple rocket launchers two outbuildings to a private residential building and a firewood shed of 200 square meters caught fire the enemy also struck the town with a guided aerial bomb A man and a woman were injured - they have an acute stress reaction In Novoplatonivka village of Izium district, forest litter on the area of 4.5 hectares was burning as a result of shelling from multiple rocket launchers “Seven militants' attacks took place in the Kupiansk sector yesterday Defense forces repelled the enemy's assault actions near Zahryzove Nova Kruhlyakivka and Petropavlivka,” said the head of the Joint Forces Operation the enemy twice tried to advance in the areas of Vovchansk and Mala Shapkivka in vain As reported by Ukrinform, on April 19, coniferous litter and reeds were burning in the Balakliya forestry in Kharkiv region over an area of about 10 hectares. Half of the soldiers serving in Ukraine's army have been recently mobilized They are performing their duties well but are eagerly awaiting the end of the war An "Aktuaalne kaamera" news crew visited the hottest section of the front line in Kharkiv Oblast The hotter the section of the front line you want to reach the earlier you need to set out to avoid becoming a victim of enemy drones The artillery troops of the 154th Brigade are holding back the Russian advance in the area Kupiansk in Kharkiv Oblast is currently one of the hottest spots on the front line "They [the Russians] have already crossed the Oskil River That's why we need more shells — to kill them all," said Ukrainian soldier Kasik They're trying to occupy as much Ukrainian land as possible," added soldier Mustlane there were high hopes for the so-called Czech initiative which promised to supply Ukraine with a million shells the reality is that there are very few shells Ammunition is so scarce that we're trying to repel their attacks with just one or two shots," Kasik noted Most of these soldiers have been recently mobilized and would like to return home quickly if a ceasefire were reached But how realistic is the prospect of a ceasefire at all "I would agree to a ceasefire if they left all of Ukraine I just want to go home and get back to a normal life there's talk of freezing the war along the current front line I've heard that they want to freeze the situation as it is [And what do you think about that?] I don't really know what to think "The war could be frozen as the front line looks now But then we'll have to be ready for the war to continue in two or three years Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update! 0)" class="article-poll-disclaimer" ng-bind="totalVotes + ' hääletajat'"> {{option.votes}} {{selectedLanguage.poll.votes}}/ Iga kasutaja võib hääletada {{poll.optionLimit}} vastusevariandi poolt This was reported on Telegram by Oleh Syniehubov Head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration structural elements of a garage caught fire over an area of 10 square meters two women were killed in the courtyard of a five-story residential building The enemy continues its deliberate terror against the civilian population," Syniehubov wrote eight civilians were injured in Kharkiv region over the past day due to attacks by Russian forces Russia’s apparent plan is to flatten then reoccupy the Ukrainian city where the situation has become dramatically worse since the beginning of October demolished the concrete summer house in the garden “There was smoke and that was it,” she said Nina Marchenko and her husband in a reception centre for evacuees in Kharkiv Photograph: Alessio Mamo/The GuardianIn recent weeks Ukrainian defences are crumbling at the fastest rate since 2022 Russia swallowed nearly 310 miles (500km) of Ukrainian territory including more than 15 sq miles around Kupiansk Two-thirds of these losses of territory have been in the neighbouring Donetsk region Ukraine’s southern sector there is close to collapse Russian combat units are now less than two miles from Kupiansk troops have already reached the Oskil River turning Ukrainian-controlled territory on the left bank into two separate and shrinking bulges Bridges across the river are relentlessly bombed Moscow’s apparent plan is to flatten Kupiansk and then reoccupy it described the situation on the eastern side of the Oskil as “critical” He said 1,400 people were refusing to evacuate from their homes but simply unwilling to move out or listen to anxious relatives Andriy Besedin said the situation in Kupiansk had became dramatically worse since the beginning of October Photograph: Alessio Mamo/The Guardian“We are going flat to flat and driving around with loudspeakers We don’t know what will happen tomorrow,’” he said “The pensioners think the Russians won’t hurt them We tell them the situation is different from 2022 and that they will get killed.” “I hope when the weather changes and it’s cold they will finally exit,” Besedin added Since the beginning of October the situation in Kupiansk became dramatically worse Russian kamikaze drones were flying above the city They see a pick-up and hit it with a drone Recently a Russian warplane dropped a 1,500kg guided bomb on the civic building next to Besedin’s office The decorative brick structure was a sprawling mess Was the Kremlin trying to target the mayor personally “They’ve tried several times.” Other missiles have struck Kupiansk’s museum Ukraine was battling against terrorism and dictatorship and a malevolent axis of countries that included Russia “Our guys are fighting for every centimetre Unfortunately the civilised world isn’t giving us enough weapons Stopping Russia is our collective responsibility Putin will attack the Baltic states and Poland,” he said Oleksandr Isaiev said Ukraine would continue to lose territory until the west allowed Kyiv to fire western munitions into Russia Photograph: Alessio Mamo/The GuardianSoldiers said conditions on the frontline were tough They fire 10 shells for our one,” said Oleksandr Isaiev The Russians had more personnel and armoured vehicles and dropped between eight and 12 KAB glided bombs a day on his position They make a hole 5 metres deep and 10 metres’ across,” he said Isaiev expressed frustration at the west’s so-called “red lines” and the Biden administration’s persistent refusal to allow Kyiv to hit targets deep inside Russia with US-supplied munitions The UK and France have not lifted restrictions either But we can’t use them to wallop Russian airfields,” Isaiev said Free newsletterA digest of the morning's main headlines from the Europe edition emailed direct to you every week day Oleksandr Ivantsov, a drone operator, said Russian forces were constantly trying to storm Ukrainian positions. Photograph: Alessio Mamo/The GuardianWith too few conventional weapons, Ukraine is trying to hold the line using drones. Oleksandr Ivantsov a drone operator with the 3rd Assault Brigade said the situation on the left bank was tense The Russians were constantly trying to storm Ukrainian positions A handful of elderly residents could be seen carrying shopping bags and pushing trolleys Besedin said he would provide municipal services for as long as possible acknowledged it was only a matter of time before the Russians came back Ksenia Lukyanova said her home city was strategically important and a railway hub a road went south to the town of Izium – occupied and liberated in 2022 – and the garrison city of Sloviansk To the north was the Russian province of Belgorod Ksenia Lukyanova said: ‘We carry on Inside we are crying and screaming.’ Photograph: Alessio Mamo/The Guardian“During the second world war Kupiansk was seized and liberated four times It switched between Soviets and Nazis,” Lukyanova said shrapnel shattered the window of her new apartment in the village of Hrushivka Inside we are crying and screaming,” she said Her friend Natalya Surko said most residents in the suburb of Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi were packing up to leave You hear a siren and three seconds later an explosion you think: ‘Do I get up or not?’ You don’t.” Surko said she lost her job as Kupiansk’s railway station duty manager when the full-scale war arrived Evacuees from the Kupiansk region are taken to a processing centre in Kharkiv where they are registered and given medical checkups Some arrive in their own vehicles; others are brought by minibus or ambulance So far this month 1,800 people have turned up the UNHCR and the Red Cross dole out emergency parcels Evacuees from Kupiansk and surrounding villages wait outside a reception centre in Kharkiv Photograph: Alessio Mamo/The GuardianThe regional administration had issued compulsory evacuation notices to families with children At night people drive to Izyum and sleep there She described bombardment as scary but said Russia’s eight-month occupation in 2022 was far worse “For the first few weeks we had no internet connection We didn’t know what was happening in Kharkiv We were afraid to go out on the street.” She last attended school on the day before the invasion Marchenko said she had left all her belongings behind “We had a garden with fruit trees and vegetables But this year it was only weeds because it was impossible to plant anything As soon as you stepped foot outside they start to shell,” the 72-year-old said The head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, Oleh Syniehubov, said this in a post on Telegram the occupiers dropped explosives from a drone on a civilian car A 35-year-old local doctor was injured as a result of the enemy strike He was provided with first aid," the statement said with Russian forces persistently shelling the city using various types of weaponry This was reported on Telegram by the Khortytsia Operational and Strategic Group of Forces which also released video footage of the attack The enemy employed light motorized vehicles to deploy assault groups and attempt to breach Ukrainian defensive positions Ukrainian forces targeted the Russian assault units on quad bikes with precise fire destroying most of the enemy personnel and their vehicles Russian troops attempted to improve their tactical position near Nova Kruhliakivka and Zahryzove in the Kupiansk sector by Tim ZadorozhnyyRussian soldiers patrol a street on April 11 The picture was taken during a trip organized by the Russian military (Alexander Nemenov/AFP via Getty Images)Russian commanders in the Kupiansk sector are ordering their soldiers to retake positions from which they retreated under Ukrainian fire threatening them with execution if they refuse Ukraine's Khortytsia group of forces claimed on Feb Ukrainian soldiers forced Russian troops to abandon forward positions near a settlement in the Kupiansk sector following intensive assaults, the unit said The Kyiv Independent could not verify these claims Russian forces intensified their assault on Kupiansk in Kharkiv Oblast in September 2024 pushing toward the city's industrial outskirts in the northeast Ukrainian forces repelled several attempts to enter the town throughout December The front line now lies just 2 kilometers (1.5 miles) from the town President Volodymyr Zelensky recently appointed Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi, the commander of Ukraine's Ground Forces, to lead the Khortytsia group as Ukraine works to counter Russian advances in the sector Western and Ukrainian officials have pointed to poor morale among Russian troops since the outbreak of the full-scale war Moscow employs the infamous "human wave" tactics in which its troops overwhelm Ukrainian defenders through sheer numbers despite suffering heavy losses Reports of Russian commanders executing their soldiers have also surfaced amid some of the heaviest battles of the war during Russia's siege of the stronghold town of Avdiivka in late 2023 Tim Zadorozhnyy is a news editor at The Kyiv Independent he is pursuing studies in International Relations Tim began his career at a local television channel in Odesa he joined the Belarusian opposition media outlet NEXTA starting as a news anchor and later advancing to the position of managing editor This was reported by NGU Commander Oleksandr Pivnenko on Telegram fighters of the 2nd Special Purpose Battalion of the 15th NGU Kara-Dag Brigade captured an enemy infantry group attempting to entrench in the unit’s area of responsibility," Pivnenko stated the group was spotted in advance by drone units which helped create favorable conditions for the infantry to act "The invaders decided not to push their luck and made the right choice — to surrender and stay alive," Pivnenko noted captured nine Russian servicemen in Russia’s Kursk region You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed This was reported by the press service of the State Emergency Service It is noted that on the evening of April 26 Russian aviation struck residential areas of Kupiansk with guided bombs “One of the bombs completely destroyed a private house and damaged seven other houses rescuers unblocked the body of a dead man born in 1936 from the rubble were also injured - they were diagnosed with an acute stress reaction and refused hospitalization,” the statement said Emergency and rescue operations in Kupiansk have been completed, the SES added As reported, the day before in Kupiansk, a private residential building was destroyed and 7 houses located nearby were damaged as a result of shelling by the guided aerial bomb. the building and workshops of a non-operational educational institution were partially destroyed as a result of the shelling by the guided aerial bomb A 65-year-old and a 60-year-old woman were injured The State Emergency Service reported this on Facebook a residential building and a hectare of dry wood were burned four women were injured in the Kupiansk district due to Russian shelling which also caused damage to civilian homes Ukrainian drone strike 700km across border takes Russian refinery out of service; EU prepares to step up military aid Kupiansk hit by deadly bombingThis article is more than 2 months oldUkrainian drone strike 700km across border takes Russian refinery out of service; EU prepares to step up military aid Russian drones attacked Ukraine’s southern city of Odesa for the second night running on Wednesday with nearly 90,000 people affected by blackouts and loss of heating were injured in the initial attack on Tuesday A Russian guided bomb killed at least one person on Wednesday in and around Ukraine’s north-eastern city of Kupiansk Russian forces hit a residential area of Kupiansk and rescuers retrieved the body of one resident from under rubble; while two people were injured in an attack on a village south of the city Prosecutors in the region put the death toll for the day at two people Russian forces hit a multi-storey apartment building with guided bombs injuring three people and causing serious damage head of the city’s military administration Ukrainian drones hit the Syzran oil refinery in Russia’s Samara region on Wednesday The refinery suspended oil processing afterwards It is about 700km from the Ukrainian border The Reuters news agency said a paper suggested each EU member state contribute based on the size of its economy to produce a package that would include 1.5m rounds of artillery ammunition to be delivered this year missiles for deep precision strikes and drones Diplomats held initial talks on the plan this week in Brussels and said EU foreign ministers may discuss it on Monday EU envoys have also agreed a 16th package of sanctions on Russia measures to strengthen the G7 oil price cap a Russian aluminium import ban and new export bans The package is expected to be adopted by the bloc’s foreign ministers on Monday to mark the third anniversary of the war Britain and France are leading efforts to create a European “reassurance force” intended to prevent future Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities, ports and critical infrastructure in the event of a US-brokered peace deal, Dan Sabbagh writes would involve less than 30,000 troops and would be likely to be concentrated on air and maritime defence Ground forces would be minimal and not deployed near the frontline in the east of Ukraine Among the aims would be safe reopening of Ukraine’s airspace to commercial flights and the security of its seaborne trade over the Black Sea such as food and grain exports South Korea has affirmed that a North Korean soldier captured by Ukraine has the right to start a new life on its side of the border An official from Seoul’s foreign ministry said “North Korean soldiers are constitutionally considered our nationals” and the South “would provide the necessary protection and support” The South’s Chosun Ilbo newspaper published an interview with a North Korean soldier on Wednesday describing “brutal” fighting on the frontline said he was “80%” decided that he “plans to apply for refugee status and go to South Korea” Ri – visibly wounded – told Chosun that many of his fellow North Korean soldiers had been killed by drones and artillery fire “Everyone who joined the army with me is dead it was truly brutal … I had never seen people die before.” Ukraine on Wednesday denied claims by Vladimir Putin of a ground attack into Ukrainian territory from the Kursk region which would have been a first in the region since 2022 “Putin’s information about a large-scale Russian offensive is a lie,” said Andriy Kovalenko an official responsible for countering disinformation who added that a Russian reconnaissance unit had tried to cross but was destroyed Russia’s president claimed fighters of the 810th brigade had crossed into Ukrainian territory overnight Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he would meet on Thursday with Donald Trump’s US envoy and hoped for “constructive” work with the US and future Western support looks uncertainNovember 26 2024 10:50 PM8 min readA view of damaged buildings as authorities in Ukraine's Kharkiv Oblast have announced the start of a mandatory evacuation for the key front-line city of Kupiansk by Boldizsar GyoriKUPIANSK — Volodymyr paused his Sunday stroll from a shopping center in Kupiansk to take pictures of rubble from a Russian strike that almost killed his wife late last month "It was broad daylight when they struck," he said "Our only luck was that my wife was in the kitchen so the flying glass did not hit her," Volodymyr said who lives with his wife only a few meters from the epicenter of the explosion Fearing a return of Russian occupation to his increasingly bombed-out front-line city in Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv Oblast Volodymyr refused to provide his full name The 1.5-ton thermobaric bomb that Russian troops dropped next to the shopping center at the edge of the city killed a 73-year-old woman and injured others The use of such destructive weapons against civilians marks the Russian army's upscaled push to occupy the latest Ukrainian city enduring more suffering and uncertain prospects One recent Russian strike on Kupiansk disrupted central water supplies throughout the city to roam streets carrying buckets from wells to their homes "There has been no water for two days now and we're afraid that soon there will be no electricity and (natural) gas," said Ivana in early November a retiree who glanced into the sky nervously fearing the possibility of Russian drone strikes from above "We feel abandoned," she added as Russia's army sped up a grinding advance towards Kupiansk The crowd-sourced monitoring website DeepState also reported on Nov 26 that Ukrainian forces had completed clearing Kupiansk of Russian soldiers with Russian troops geared up to try again in the near future which Ukraine largely liberated during a surprise counteroffensive in autumn 2022 with Russia's increasing offensives across the entire front and the U.S support for Ukraine in the long run remaining uncertain residents of Kupiansk are expecting the worst to come President-elect Donald Trump had promised to end Russia's war swiftly without providing a clear scenario on how he plans to achieve such a result The president-elect's inner circle has also been vocal floating the idea of freezing the war along the current front lines leaving cities like Kupiansk and the residents that remain on the edge or in Russia grip indefinitely Russia has a poor record of keeping to ceasefire agreements that predate its full-blown invasion of Ukraine by almost a decade "We already went through this during the first and second Minsk agreements Russia always violated these agreements," Serhiy Kuzan chairman of the Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Center His comments refer to two ceasefire agreements one in 2014 and another in 2015 brokered by the West that froze front lines in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts after Russia occupied part of those regions A number of towns and villages were left on the front lines and lacking the ability to escape the years-long war A visit to Kupiansk today largely mirrors the devastation brought to the towns left on the front lines Kupiansk is an increasingly abandoned city Despite a mandatory evacuation order for all citizens announced in mid-October locals estimate several thousand residents remain despite the mounting risks The city is experiencing the third siege in three years after it was briefly occupied by Russian forces in 2022 then liberated during the successful Ukrainian counteroffensive in the autumn of the same year the Ukrainian army's surprise counterattack pushed the Russian troops to about a dozen kilometers from the city's outskirts Two years after the retreat, Russia's army has doubled its efforts to recapture it. Since early September, they have advanced several kilometers, approaching the city's eastern outskirts. Earlier this month, Ukraine's army said it was repelling enemy attempts to enter the city said Ukraine's army is in a good position to hold the city's eastern outskirts against Russian incursions "provided that there is a sufficient amount of ammunition and materiel." that remains in doubt as President-elect Trump vows to end the war quickly pulling the plug on future military aid to Ukraine One of the possible scenarios to follow up on Trump's promise is reducing military aid to Ukraine forcing the country into giving up territory for peace who has in the past expressed a fancy for Russian President Vladimir Putin has also said he could boost Ukrainian weapons supplies to pressure Russia into a peace agreement "I believe that what he (Trump) has said about the tools is what he intends to do," former U.S People from Kupiansk arrive at an evacuation point as mandatory evacuation from four communities in the Kharkiv Oblast kicks off due to hostilities in the region on Oct (Ukrinform/NurPhoto via Getty Images)"It's not clear (how Trump would achieve peace) I do think that there is going to be some form of cut in aid It may also be that American military assistance will move from a straight aid program to a loan program," said Herbst now serving as senior director of the Washington D.C.-based Atlantic Council's Eurasia Center The former ambassador is skeptical about a lasting agreement between Ukraine and Russia should the front line be frozen "It would not surprise me if Putin were to agree to negotiate along those lines work immediately to undermine that agreement and continue his aggression against Ukraine," Herbst added the last bridge connecting the two sides of the Oskil River remained open to civilian traffic in late October "The Russians are striking the industrial complex on the left not only with glide bombs and FPV drones now but with artillery and tanks too," a soldier on the ground with the military He spoke amid the relentless sound of various calibers crackling and booming in the background without revealing his real name due to security concerns "The Russians are attempting to break into the (eastern) part of the city in small units but so far we repelled them," he said Kuzan estimates that Kupiansk holds value to the Russian army due to its highways and railway lines it could serve as a springboard for continued north-to-south offensive operations into the heart of the last remaining densely populated urban areas of Donetsk Oblast still held by Ukraine — the cities and agglomerations of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk and the Russian army's logistics is built around railway transportation Although the Russian military has not yet been able to get a foothold the city remains under indiscriminate bombardment they are not trying to freeze the front line," Kuzan added If Russian forces capture Kupiansk before a ceasefire they will be in pole position to retake all eastern bank territory south of the city along the Oskil River stretching south to the Donetsk Oblast front lines In the unlikely event of a frozen front line Kuzan sees little chance for Kupiansk to live in peace due to the constant threat of Russian attacks after a ceasefire "Both for Kupiansk and our other cities to be able to live and function to quickly reduce the strike capabilities of the Russian army," said Kuzan (Fermin Torrano/Anadolu via Getty Images)His comments echo President Volodymyr Zelensky's repeated calls for allies to boost firepower supplies including the provision of more long-range missiles capable of hindering Russian logistics "Only in this case can we talk about some kind of stabilization in these cities having removed their instrument for terror," Kuzan said the scene in early November was nerve-racking "We trust God will help us," said Svitlana a resident selling military chevrons in the middle of the city despite the sound of small arms fire in the background Some people motivated to help feed Ukrainian soldiers protecting the city remained reluctant to evacuate "Other than the fact that we were born here who would sell these boys (the soldiers) hotdogs if we fled?" asked Viktoria a shopkeeper at the bombed-out shopping center that nearly killed Volodymyr's wife "We remained open that day and will be open for the guys (Ukrainian soldiers) in the future," she added The Kyiv Independent reporter Dinara Khalilova contributed to this report Boldizsar is a former Reuters correspondent for Hungary reporting for the Kyiv Independent and various other outlets This was reported by the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office in Telegram According to the investigation, on April 19, between 3:40 and 4:00 a.m., the Russian army conducted air strikes on the city of Kupiansk More than 10 private houses and outbuildings were damaged Four women and one man suffered acute stress reactions Under the procedural supervision of the Kupiansk District Prosecutor's Office of Kharkiv Region pre-trial investigations into war crimes (Part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) have been initiated As Ukrinform reported earlier, seven people in Kharkiv region were injured or suffered acute stress reactions during the day Photo: Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office The Khortytsia Operational and Strategic Group of Forces announced this on Telegram the Russian army launched attacks on Ukraine's defensive positions near Kamianka and personnel are being prepared for movement west of the Oskil River in the areas of Krasne Pershe Ukrainian defense forces are actively working to prevent these movements Russian troops attacked Ukrainian positions in Vovchansk the enemy abandoned further attempts to advance Russian forces attacked Ukrainian defensive positions near Hrekivka Ukrainian troops held their ground without losing positions Ukrainian defenders repelled Russian assaults near Bilohorivka and Verkhniokamianske preventing any deterioration of the tactical situation The enemy suffered losses due to the effective Ukrainian fire Russian forces launched assaults of varying intensity near Minkivka They also attempted to advance along the Chasiv Yar canal to improve their tactical position but suffered losses and failed to achieve their objective Ukrainian forces repelled the assaults and destroyed enemy equipment Russian forces attempted to break through Ukrainian defenses near Kostiantynopil and Pryvilne they launched an attack using four armored vehicles The search and elimination of enemy personnel continue According to Ukrinform, this was reported on Telegram by the Khortytsia Operational Strategic Group of Troops "Russians have attempted to expand their foothold near Kalynove by improving their tactical position The occupiers are also trying to deploy forces to the western bank of the Oskil River while the weather still allows them to do so," the statement reads Enemy units also attempted to advance on Petropavlivka but were unsuccessful the enemy launched attacks on Novomykhailivka while also attempting to replenish their previous losses Russian forces tried to attack Predtechyne while continuing their unsuccessful attempts to capture the towns of Toretsk and Chasiv Yar Attempts by enemy units to infiltrate toward Stupochky were detected and repelled in time the enemy launched offensive actions toward Yelyzavetivka the enemy managed to damage part of Ukraine’s defensive fortifications in Pishchane Measures are being taken to prevent further deterioration of the tactical situation Russian forces attempted but failed to advance toward Kostiantynopil and Burlatske the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled enemy assaults near the settlements of Holubivka and Zahryzove by Kateryna Denisova, The Kyiv Independent news deskSoldiers walk on the edge of the destroyed road as authorities in Kharkiv Oblast announced the start of a mandatory evacuation for the key frontline town of Kupiansk (Fermin Torrano/Anadolu via Getty Images)Ukrainian forces have pushed back Russian troops from Kupiansk in Kharkiv Oblast and maintain control over the situation on the town’s outskirts the spokesperson for the Khortytsia group of forces Russian troops ramped up their efforts near Kupiansk in early September and approached the city’s industrial outskirts in the northeast. Earlier in November, Ukrainian forces successfully repelled Russian attempts to break into the city Speaking on national television, Voloshyn said that Russia uses small groups in an attempt to cross to the right bank of the Oskil River "Even if groups of eight to ten people manage to cross only two or three from each group reach the (right) bank The enemy has been eliminated there as well," he said "Everything there (in Kupiansk) is under the control of our Defense Forces." Capturing the city would widen the north-to-south supply route from Russia’s Belgorod Oblast fuelling their attempt to take the entire Donbas region According to the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office the strike occurred around 16:35 on Thursday "The attack targeted a nine-story residential building with the explosion causing damage to at least 10 neighboring apartment buildings in the area," the prosecutor's office reported Authorities have confirmed that a 72-year-old woman sustained injuries in the strike while efforts are ongoing to determine if there are additional casualties Preliminary reports indicate that Russian forces used an ODAB-1500 high-explosive detonating aerial bomb in the attack Law enforcement officers launched a pre-trial investigation under Part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine - violation of the laws and customs of war and two others were injured in the Kramatorsk district of Donetsk region following Russian shelling Since early April, Russians have made almost three thousand attacks in the Kupiansk urban community, dropped 84 air bombs, killed four, and injured 19 people. Kupiansk itself was hit 160 times from different types of weapons in less than months.  The attack on April 17 destroyed three floors in a nine-story building; two people might still be trapped under the rubble “The rescue operation is proceeding with difficulty because we need special equipment (to search for survivors — ed.) which is hard to get to Kupiansk because of continuous Russian attacks,” said Andrii Besedin the head of the Kupiansk military administration The attack damaged at least 10 of the nearest high-rise buildings in this residential neighborhood On the morning of April 18, the Russian army also attacked several settlements in the Kupiansk district, injuring four women. Subscribe to news from Kharkiv, UkraineMost important stories from the frontline region Google Facebook Or Register from Google Register from Facebook Or Website materials are permitted only with an active link to “GWARA MEDIA,” not lower than the third paragraph The use of digital platform content is allowed with textual attribution Content for documentary films and integrated products is permitted The site was modernized with the support of the European Endowment for Democracy in 2023 ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " According to Ukrinform, the head of the Kharkiv Regional State Administration, Oleh Syniehubov, posted this on Facebook the Russians used three guided aerial bombs an air strike set a residential building's ceiling beam on fire a 54-year-old woman died as a result of a guided bomb hitting a private household garden Four private residential buildings were damaged In the village of Mykolaivka Persha, Lozova district, a Shahed UAV hit a private household's garden burning grass and firewood over an area of 5 square meters damaging a private house and an outbuilding there were eight firefights between the Defense Forces and Russian troops in the areas of Vovchansk Topol and in the direction of Novovasylivka and Lyptsi Ukrainian defenders repelled five Russian attacks in the areas of Novoosynove As reported by Ukrinform, the Molniia drone used by Russians to attack Kharkiv on May 1 was loaded with nails to inflict more damage on people Oleh Syniehubov, head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, wrote this in a post on Telegram "The enemy continues to attack civilian infrastructure and terrorize residents the occupiers fired 152-caliber artillery at private homes no casualties were reported," Syniehubov wrote The regional governor highlighted the tense situation in the area "The enemy is intensively shelling the city showing blatant disregard for the customs and rules of war The situation in Kupiansk remains critical," he added a Russian attack on April 6 sparked fires in the balconies and apartments of a nine-story residential building in Kupiansk Two residents—a 79-year-old woman and a 67-year-old man—sustained injuries in the attack Andriy Kovalenko, the head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, said this in a post on Telegram “Russians have started actively deploying toxic substances with several cases recently reported in the Kupiansk sector violating all established rules of warfare,” he wrote 109 combat clashes between the Ukrainian Defense Forces and Russian troops have been recorded at the front since the beginning of the day with fighting still ongoing in nine frontline sectors The Head of the Kharkiv Regional State Administration, Oleh Syniehubov, reported this on Telegram enemy aircraft struck Kupiansk throughout the night: "We are witnessing a deterioration of the security situation in the town The enemy continues to attack civilian and infrastructure facilities Over 30 glide bombs hit the town center." three local residents were injured and one person was killed Emergency services are working to eliminate the aftermath of the strikes Throughout the past day, Russian glide bomb strikes in Kharkiv region resulted in one fatality and four people being injured, according to Syniehubov a Shahed drone crashed onto a private property without detonation a 3-story administrative building was hit at 21:24 a 54-year-old woman was injured when a glide bomb hit a private house in Kupiansk Rescuers freed a 51-year-old man from the rubble a UAV attack damaged a family medicine clinic building shelling ignited a utility building (50 m²) and a private house (100 m²) a glide bomb strike partially destroyed another private house and ignited two utility buildings (100 m²) A 76-year-old man was injured in this strike an 85-year-old woman was wounded in another glide bomb attack a 55-year-old man was injured by an FPV drone dropping munitions Russian shelling damaged a house and several utility buildings Russian forces carried out massive airstrikes on Kupiansk causing damage to critical infrastructure and igniting fires at civilian sites this was stated by Spokesperson for the Kharkiv Operational Tactical Group "The Russians continue to shell Kupiansk but there has been no success in advancing towards or around the town We currently control the approaches to Kupiansk from the northern side I can say that the Russians are trying to deploy infantry units to the north of Kupiansk but they are not using armored vehicles in this area," said Shamsyn He further mentioned that Ukrainian forces detect and neutralize Russian infantry units and sabotage and reconnaissance groups still on the outskirts of the town enemy drones are being increasingly employed it is important to note that the Russians are using drones with unprecedented activity the Russians used up to 500 drones in our sector now that number has increased by one and a half times This includes both kamikaze drones and drones used for bomb drops two-thirds of them involve drone usage," he added Shamsyn highlighted the problem with drones using fiber-optic systems as electronic warfare systems are powerless against them These drones can reach distances of up to 15 kilometers from the frontline they could be used against civilian structures as well there were 209 recorded combat clashes between Ukrainian Defense Forces and Russian invaders on the front line