Ukrainian forces encircle about 20 Russian soldiers in Kupiansk
In the city of Kupiansk, roughly two dozen Russian troops are trapped and unable to conduct active operations. Ukrainian forces are not planning to engage them, to avoid unnecessary risk, according to Victor Trehubov, spokesperson for the Joint Forces grouping, speaking on TV.
“They are essentially holed up in the basement of a partially destroyed hospital. Currently, there are about 20 people — originally around 50. They’ve turned several small basements into makeshift fortresses and are just trying to survive. They don’t pose a direct threat and cannot carry out any activity. Let them stay there — they symbolize some control over the city for the Russians, while their war correspondents report that troops are stranded and cannot be rescued. Why risk lives to pull them out when eventually they’ll ‘finish’ themselves off?” Trehubov explained.
Ukrainian forces have made tactical gains in the east and south. According to the Institute for the Study of War, Ukrainian units have advanced on several fronts in recent days, including areas near Kupiansk, Huliaipole, Oleksandrivka, and sections of Kostiantynivka–Druzhkivka.
Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi remains under Ukrainian control. Russian Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov claimed the capture of Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi in Kharkiv region, but OSINT analysts report that Russian forces have not even approached the settlement.
Earlier, Ukrainian forces eliminated Russian operational reserves in Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad, and on the Kupiansk front, they destroyed an enemy artillery piece with FPV drones.
