Russian forces attacked 15 different locations over the past day in Kharkiv Oblast, killing one person and injuring at least one, as well as causing damage to houses and other buildings, the regional police said on Dec. 26.
An early morning Russian attack in the village of Podoly, around 6 kilometers from the city of Kupiansk, destroyed a civilian home. Rescue workers later found a man's body under the rubble.
In the village of Pischane in Kupiansk District, a 63-year-old man was wounded by shrapnel and taken to the hospital.
Russian attacks also damaged homes in the city of Vovchansk and the settlement of Kozacha Lopan.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said on Dec. 18 that Russian forces have continued attacking along the Kupiansk-Svatove-Kreminna line as a part of their effort to capture the remainder of Luhansk Oblast and push westward into eastern Kharkiv Oblast. Despite their efforts, Russian forces have yet to make significant gains, the ISW said.
A Ukrainian military spokesperson said on Dec. 16 that Russia had committed more reserves in an attempt to capture Kupiansk.
Freed from Russian occupation during the Ukrainian counteroffensive in September 2022, Kupiansk has become a focal point for renewed Russian offensives due to its strategic significance as a key logistics hub. This makes it a potential launching point for further advances south or west.
Daniil Ukhorskiy
