The battle for Kupiansk: a high-stakes struggle for the Oskil river banks
In short: What began as small-scale river crossings in late 2024 evolved into a complex war of infiltration and urban combat. From using underground gas pipelines to seize territory to the dramatic claims of total capture, the Kupiansk offensive reveals the intense, shifting nature of modern frontline warfare.
The Kupiansk offensive, centered in Ukraine's Kharkiv Oblast, involves a series of engagements aimed at controlling the city and the strategic Oskil river. Following a major Ukrainian counteroffensive in September 2022, which liberated Kupiansk, Russian forces pushed toward the city in late 2024. By early 2025, fighting escalated when Russian units secured multiple footholds on the Oskil river's western side, specifically around Novomlynsk and Dvorichna.
The nature of the fighting has been characterized by unconventional tactics and rapid shifts in control. In late 2024, Russian forces used boats to cross the river, initially establishing small, company-sized bridgeheads. By late 2024 and early 2025, the conflict moved into more complex territory, with reports of Russian forces attempting to infiltrate the city through sewer lines and an underground gas pipeline between Lyman Pershyi and Radkivka. Ukrainian forces eventually damaged the pipeline to disrupt these attempts.
The narrative of the city's control remains highly contested. In November 2025, Russian General Valery Gerasimov announced the full capture of Kupiansk by Army Group Zapad. This claim was disputed by both the Ukrainian military—which suggested Russian presence was limited to about 40 personnel—and some Russian sources. By December 2025, a Ukrainian counterattack reportedly eliminated Russian assault forces from the town center, leading President Zelensky to visit the city's entrance monument on 12 December.
The strategic importance of the region lies in the control of key infrastructure, such as the Kupiansk-Pivdennyi railway station and the H-2 and H-26 highways. The struggle for surrounding villages like Zapadne, Kindrashivka, and Radkivka has been a continuous cycle of advances and retreats, making the area a focal point of the broader Russo-Ukrainian war.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Kupiansk offensive
- Also: Wikidata — Kupiansk offensive · CC0
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