Russian Forces Near Collapse in Kupyansk as Moscow Allies Concede City Lost
Ukrainian officials report that Russian forces in Kupyansk have dwindled to just several dozen fighters, including foreign mercenaries, with many surrendering due to deteriorating supply lines. The remaining Russian units rely on limited air resupply, an insufficient method for sustaining long-term operations in the city.
Despite ongoing daily Russian assaults along the Kupyansk axis, Moscow lacks the manpower and reserves necessary to shift the balance or restore control. Kremlin-aligned bloggers and war correspondents have begun conceding that Kupyansk is no longer under Russian control, marking a shift in messaging from Moscow.
Ukraine emphasizes that Russia never fully controlled Kupyansk since its initial liberation in 2022, except for a brief occupation early in the invasion; however, Russian defense in the northern districts of the city has now failed. Fighting persists outside Kupyansk, particularly from positions across the Oskil River, but Ukrainian forces maintain firm control over the city itself.
The Ukrainian General Staff reported repelling five Russian attacks in the Kupyansk sector on December 24, near Petropavlivka, Pishchane, Zahryzove, and Kupyansk. Kupyansk is strategically important as a key rail and road hub in the Kharkiv region, with a prewar population of around 27,000. The city was briefly occupied early in the conflict, and Moscow has sought to obscure its status through disinformation.
