The Kupiansk 'Cobra' Victory Strategy : Surround, Strangle, Strike
The Ukrainian counteroffensive to retake Kupiansk, shocking the Russians, was complex and time consuming. Like a cobra snake, the Ukrainians methodically surrounded their prey, then closed in using the elimination of strongpoints and logistics to limit the Russians options. The Ukrainians also took advantage of their superior knowledge of local terrain, which included seasonal flooding of low ground near the Oskil River which further restricted Russian movement and resupply.
When all of that was in place, the Ukrainians struck, finishing off the depleted and isolated remnants of Russian units one by one. It was over before the Kremlin even realized they had a problem. JL
Euromaidan Press reports:
The operation began with a carefully planned campaign aimed at isolating Russian forces inside and around Kupiansk through air strikes focused on preventing reinforcements from crossing the Oskil River, cutting Russian logistics. The second stage targeted the land corridor Russian forces had been using to infiltrate Kupiansk, creating a bottleneck around the town by clearing forest belts and structures. Seasonal flooding caused the Oskil to overflow, turning Russian positions into isolated pockets. After the Russian remnants were concentrated and roads cut off, it was time to finish the remaining Russians. The Khartia Corps, reinforced by special operations liberated over 40 square kilometers.
Here, after weeks of repeated claims by the Russian political leadership that Kupiansk city had been captured, reality hit hard. The Ukrainians recently demonstrated that the town was not under Russian control at all but had been quietly cleared of enemy forces, prompting President Zelenskyy to visit Kupiansk in person.
Screenshot from Reporting From Ukraine's video.
Considering the Russian speculations, understanding the bigger picture is essential, and we will do a comprehensive breakdown of the Ukrainian operation that liberated Kupiansk from Russian forces, as its outcome turned into a direct and highly visible blow to Moscow’s narrative, especially at a time when possible, peace negotiations are underway.
Ukrainian air power cuts off Kupiansk from the sky
The operation began with a carefully planned campaign aimed at isolating Russian forces inside and around Kupiansk through devastating air strikes. Ukrainian air power focused on preventing reinforcements from crossing the Oskil River and sustaining the Russian bridgehead north of the city, cutting the lifeline before moving in on the town itself. Geolocated footage shows a Ukrainian F-16 striking Russian troops near Hryanivka as they attempted to move across the river.
Screenshot from Reporting From Ukraine's video.
Another concentration was destroyed near Holubivka when J-dam bombs from a Ukrainian F-16 annihilated a group mid-crossing. Ukrainian aircraft continued to hit ammunition depots, troop clusters, and drone-operator positions, steadily dismantling Russia’s ability to support its units already deployed in Kupiansk.
Even the appearance of a Russian Su-35 on patrol failed to stop the campaign, as a Ukrainian MiG-29 delivered another J-dam strike on a building in north-central Kupiansk where Russian assault troops had fortified themselves and Russian combat operations were coordinated from.
Land corridor closed as Ukrainian assault teams move in
The second stage targeted the land corridor south of Dvorichna, which Russian forces had been using to infiltrate Kupiansk, where Ukrainians aimed to create a bottleneck around the town. Ukrainian assault teams moved in, clearing forest belts and structures one by one.
Geolocated combat footage shows Russian soldiers being eliminated or captured, providing Ukrainian commanders with valuable intelligence on enemy plans and remaining force dispositions. Russia attempted to counter this by pushing reinforcements across the river, but at extreme difficulty and high cost.
Screenshot from Reporting From Ukraine's video.
One of the largest attempts ended disastrously when a Russian assault group using All Terrain Vehicles and motorcycles was detected by Ukrainian drones and destroyed, leaving 22 soldiers and 14 vehicles lost in minutes.
Realizing that the momentum was rapidly shifting in Ukraine’s favor, Russia tried a more indirect response by striking the Pechenihy dam to halt Ukrainian movements and sabotage the flow of logistics to their counterattacks. Despite this, Ukrainian commanders were the ones turning geography into an advantage.
Seasonal flooding caused the Oskil to overflow north of the town, creating swampy terrain that, combined with relentless ground pressure, turned Russian positions into isolated pockets on the brink of collapse. This meant that while direct Ukrainian logistics were disrupted, they could go around, while Russian positions and ground lines of communications were washed away directly, with no possible fix available.
As the situation deteriorated, Russian forces grew increasingly desperate. Small groups attempted to cross the swamps using improvised bridges made of pine logs, hoping to bring at least minimal support to their comrades inside the town. Ukrainian drone surveillance ensured these efforts were futile: the bridges and the troops using them were destroyed almost immediately.
Screenshot from Reporting From Ukraine's video.
To limit political fallout, the Russian command imposed an information blackout on the situation in Kupiansk, but facts on the ground could not be hidden. Ukrainian forces succeeded in cutting all supply routes into western Kupiansk.
Attempts from the eastern flank to break through toward Petropavlivka and relieve the encircled units also failed, as the Ukrainian command concentrated capable formations there in advance, making every Russian push slow, costly, and ineffective.
Ukrainian forces tighten the noose around remaining Russian units
With the enemy exhausted, the Ukrainian plan entered the next phase; clear the outskirts to prevent any escape and tighten the noose around the Russian forces still inside. Ukrainian units quickly liberated Radkivka and Kindrashivka, followed by operations in Moskalivka and the northwestern outskirts of Kupiansk itself.
Screenshot from Reporting From Ukraine's video.
Fighting there was intense and prolonged, with Russian forces reduced to scattered enclaves. Infantry assaults supported by drones pushed the enemy back block by block, forcing withdrawals into the center.
Screenshot from Reporting From Ukraine's video.
Ukrainian drone operators continued to play a decisive role locating and striking small groups attempting to fortify their positions and prevent the Ukrainian advance. Russian drone activity increased in kind, as one related video shows Ukrainian soldiers clearing buildings while coming under attack from a Russian FPV drone.
Fortunately, despite heavy fire and the drone not being shot down, the strike missed as all Ukrainian troops survived and continued on their mission.
After the Russian remnants were concentrated and reinforcement roads cut off, the Ukrainians decided it was time to finish the remain of Russian forces. As a result, units of the second national guard corps, Khartia, reinforced by special operations forces liberated over 40 square kilometers.
President Zelenskyy neat the Kupiansk city entrance sign. Screenshot from Reporting From Ukraine's video.
Soon after, President Zelenskyy visited the outskirts of Kupiansk to personally deny past Russian claims of victory. Together with Syrskyi, he met the frontline command, awarding soldiers and declaring that Kupiansk remains Ukrainian.
Gerenal Syrskyi and President Zelenskyy in Kupaiansk sector. Screenshot from Reporting From Ukraine's video.
Overall, the importance of the battle for Kupiansk goes beyond the battlefield.
A political and military victory at a critical moment
Weeks earlier, Putin claimed that Kupiansk and even Pokovsk had already fallen, calling on international journalists to visit and verify the Russian captures. Zelenskyy answered that bluff by going to Kupiansk himself, a mere 500 meters from where Russians claimed they held full control, proving that the town remains under the Ukrainian flag
With only isolated Russian groups still hiding and being hunted down, Kupiansk's clearing has not only dismantled a potential Russian military foothold, but also shattered a key enemy claim at a decisive political moment.
Cobras are poisonous and do not strangle their prey.
ReplyDelete