Ukrainian forces have fended off Russian attempts to capture the city of Kupiansk in Kharkiv Oblast, according to Ukraine’s General Staff on November 14.
“All Russian attacks in this direction were effectively repelled. Russian forces did not succeed in entering Kupiansk, and the city remains firmly under Ukrainian control,” confirmed General Staff spokesperson Andrii Kovalev on Telegram.
Kovalev reported that on November 13, beginning at 2:30 pm, Russian troops launched a series of assaults on Ukrainian defenses near Kupiansk. Enemy units attacked in four waves, deploying around 15 pieces of equipment, including tanks, armored vehicles, and an UR-77 demining vehicle.
The update followed remarks from Andriy Besedin, head of the Kupiansk city military administration, who indicated that Russian units briefly entered the city with armored vehicles and a tank on November 13 but were quickly repelled, sustaining significant losses.
Kupiansk is a logistics and railway hub in the Kharkiv region, playing a key role in regional operations. The city was briefly occupied by Russian forces before it was recaptured by Ukraine in a counteroffensive in the fall of 2022. With important highways and five rail lines, Kupiansk’s infrastructure is vital for maintaining control in the area.
Russian forces increased their activity near Kupiansk in early September and are now positioned just 2-3 kilometers from the city’s northeastern industrial edge. Moscow aims to advance and secure a position along the Oskil River, which runs through Kupiansk, before winter conditions set in.
In his evening address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged the fierce battles in the Kupiansk sector, praising the Ukrainian forces’ determination.
“I am grateful to all our units for their resilience,” Zelenskyy said.
