Russia Throws Summer Reserves At Kupiansk As Heavy Losses Take Toll

In yet another attempt to attack Kupiansk - despite previous failures and ongoing heavy casualties, Russian forces have committed their summer reserve units. 

The move suggests that the Kremlin is loathe to admit its forces are incapable of offensive operations - even if those consist of sneaking infiltrators into a city, which is not exactly a demonstration of armed might. JL

New Voice of Ukraine reports:

Russian forces significantly intensified offensive operations toward Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi and are attempting to slice through Ukrainian positions near Kivsharivka using summer reserve units against northern district lines in Kupyansk despite suffering heavy personnel losses. Russian forces are fighting to secure and expand a bridgehead on the right bank of the Oskil River while attempting to sneak reinforcements into Kupyansk whenever adverse weather limits Ukrainian drone operations.

Russian forces significantly intensified offensive operations toward Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi and breached the town's northern districts, Joint Forces Grouping spokesperson Victor Trehubov announced on July 21.

He highlighted that Russian units are attempting to slice through Ukrainian positions near Kivsharivka while breaching northern district lines in Kupyansk despite suffering heavy personnel losses.

"The situation has also complicated within Kupyansk itself, where the Russians have heavily intensified their attempts to enter from the north," Trehubov noted. 

"Fighting is effectively underway in the northern districts of the city; we are destroying and repelling the enemy, but they are actively increasing the pressure — throwing in the reserves they accumulated over the summer. Active engagements are taking place there."

On June 3, Yuriy Butusov, a UAV platoon commander in the 13th Khartia Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine, detailed the grueling combat in the Kupyansk sector in an interview with Radio NV. He clarified that Russian forces are fighting to secure and expand a bridgehead on the right bank of the Oskil River while attempting to sneak reinforcements into Kupyansk whenever adverse weather limits Ukrainian drone operations.