The Kremlin is trying to downplay UAF counteroffensives in Kupiansk
The Kremlin is attempting to minimize the significance of Ukrainian counteroffensives in Kupiansk, while pro-war Russian bloggers continue to acknowledge the seriousness of the situation for Russian forces, according to a report by the U.S. Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
On December 16, Ukrainian military sources reported that around 200 Russian troops remain in Kupiansk, and that Russian forces have limited logistics due to successful Ukrainian operations in forming and intercepting units.
Recently, Russian state media extensively covered statements by Russian military officials and propagandists that downplay the situation in Kupiansk.
ISW notes that this is likely done to support a false Russian narrative claiming that Russian troops will soon break through Ukrainian defenses — a narrative aimed at influencing Ukraine and the West to make major concessions to Russia.
Russian state sources, including the Western Military Group and an unnamed source, claimed that Russian forces retained control of Kupiansk, accusing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of falsifying video footage filmed on December 11 in Kupiansk.
Some Russian military bloggers also shared alleged geolocated video showing two soldiers from the 121st Motorized Rifle Regiment (68th Motorized Rifle Division, Leningrad Military District) walking through the southern part of Kupiansk, using it to claim that Russian troops still control the town, according to ISW analysts.
However, ISW reports that other pro-war Russian bloggers continued to criticize Russian state media for failing to properly cover Ukrainian counteroffensives in Kupiansk. One military blogger even claimed that Russian state media rely on Western and joint operational groups to hide the battlefield situation in Kupiansk.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces pushed Russian troops out of Kupiansk and took control of almost 90% of the city, according to Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, during a “Ramstein” meeting.
Additionally, UAF soldiers reportedly eliminated a record number of Russian occupiers in a single day, according to the General Staff.
The most difficult front-line situations remain in the Pokrovsk and Kupiansk directions, ISW notes.
