Kupiansk remains under Ukrainian control as Russian forces fail to break through - General Staff

Russian forces have failed to breach Kupiansk, leaving the city under the control of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Captain Andrii Kovaliov, spokesperson for the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, said this in a statement to Ukrinform.

"All attacks by the Russian occupiers in this sector were successfully repelled. The Russian invaders were unable to enter Kupiansk. The city remains under Ukrainian Armed Forces' control," he said.

Kovaliov added that on November 13, 2024, beginning at 14:30, Russian forces attempted to break through Ukrainian defenses on the Kupiansk axis. Their assault groups attacked Ukrainian positions in four separate waves, deploying around 15 pieces of military hardware, including tanks, armored combat vehicles and an UR-77 mine clearing vehicle.

"It should be emphasized that some Russian soldiers wore uniforms resembling those of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. This violates the laws and rules of warfare and constitutes a war crime," Kovaliov said.

In response, Ukrainian forces acted decisively, halting the enemy advance, destroying all armored vehicles involved, and inflicting significant losses on Russian personnel, he said.

"All enemy attacks in this sector have been successfully repelled. After launching unsuccessful attacks and suffering manpower losses, the Russian invaders did not attempt further assaults on the afternoon of November 13 or the morning of November 14," Kovaliov said, urging the public to rely on official reports from the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Overnight into Thursday, November 14, the DeepState analytical project reported potential Russian advances in eastern Ukraine, claiming that Russian forces had occupied Illinka and allegedly made an incursion into Kupiansk.