Ukraine's Russian Volunteer Corps Assaults Kremlin's Kupiansk Positions

Ukrainian forces, including anti-Putin Russian volunteers have counterattacked on the Kupiansk front, routing Russians from their defensive positions and then holding them against repeated counterattack. 

The action exemplifies the aggressive Ukrainian tactics and opportunistic attacks which Kyiv's forces are using to disrupt and degrade Moscow's spring/summer offensive. JL

Sofiia Syngaivska reports in Defense Express:

An assault carried out by Ukraine's Russian Volunteer Corps near Kupiansk highlights the intensity of action on one of the most contested sectors of the frontline. The assault group advanced on enemy positions using two M113 armored personnel carriers despite sustaining damage, with one of the vehicles struck by Russian FPV drone. The assault group stormed and captured Russian positions, not halted by mechanical losses or overhead threats, signaling the success of light infantry units in drone-saturated environments.  Following the  breach, Russian forces launched multiple counterattacks to reclaim the lost positions, but the RVC fighters held their ground.

Recently released archival footage sheds light on a daring assault carried out by fighters of the russian Volunteer Corps (RVC) near Kupiansk in Kharkiv region. The operation, part of the spring campaign, was conducted by the Timur special unit and highlights the intensity of localized offensive actions on one of the most contested sectors of the frontline.

The footage, reportedly recorded earlier this year, shows a small assault group advancing on enemy positions using two M113 armored personnel carriers. Despite sustaining damage, with one of the vehicles struck by russian FPV drone, the unit managed to press forward, underlining the high-risk and high-resilience nature of their operation.

Close-quarters combat ensued as the RVC fighters engaged russian forces under relentless pressure. Enemy artillery and drone strikes, including grenade drops from quadcopters like the DJI Mavic, created a chaotic and dangerous environment. The combatants operated under constant threat, with little margin for error.

 

Despite the intensity of enemy fire and the complexity of the terrain, the assault group succeeded in storming and capturing several russian defensive positions. Their advance was not halted even by mechanical losses or overhead threats, signaling both tactical discipline and the increasing adaptation of light infantry units in drone-saturated environments.

Following the initial breach, russian forces launched multiple counterattacks to reclaim the lost positions. However, the RVC fighters held their ground, repelling enemy efforts and consolidating their gains. The clash reflects the dynamic nature of the Kupiansk front, where control over individual strongpoints can shift multiple times within days or even hours.

 

In addition to the territorial gains, the unit managed to capture two russian soldiers during the engagement. Such battlefield detentions provide not only intelligence value but also psychological and symbolic leverage in the ongoing information and morale war between opposing forces.

Newly released video shows russian volunteer fighters capturing enemy positions under heavy artillery and drone fire / screenshot from video

While the russian Volunteer Corps operates nominally under the Ukrainian umbrella, it is composed primarily of anti-Kremlin russian nationals. Their participation on Ukrainian soil carries both military and propaganda implications, particularly in framing the war as not only a Ukrainian resistance but also a growing russian internal rebellion.