Ukrainian forces have reclaimed part of the territory near the village of Dvorichna in Kharkiv Oblast, Oles Maliarevych, the deputy commander of the Achilles unmanned systems regiment, told Ukrainian media outlet Suspilne on March 24.
"Speaking of Dvorichna, you can see on DeepState (a crowd-sourced monitoring website) that there are blue zones where part of the territory has been liberated. These were very important but small operations," Maliarevych said.
Dvorichna, located on the western bank of the Oskil River, is 17 kilometers (10 miles) north of Kupiansk. Russian forces have been trying to establish a foothold on this bank for months, seeking to outflank Ukrainian defenses and pressure the strategically significant city.
The deputy commander noted that while Russian troops have not made territorial gains, they continue their heavy assaults in the Kupiansk sector.
Russia "is currently working with infantry units. Pontoon crossings are not new, but they are trying to do it," he said. "We find them when they approach the river (Oskil), but it is not always possible. But we destroy them on the crossing, we destroy them on the approaches, and we destroy them on the left (eastern) bank of the Oskil River."
According to Maliarevych, Russian forces have suffered "quite serious losses" on the western bank of the Oskil River. He acknowledged that some Russian troops who managed to cross had entrenched themselves in makeshift defenses.
"They dug holes, occupied houses, dugouts, and basements," he said, adding that in some cases, small groups of three or four Russian soldiers are present in certain areas, which does not necessarily mean full Russian control.
Russia intensified its assault on Kupiansk in September 2024, pushing toward the city's northeastern industrial outskirts. The Oskil River has played a big role in military operations in Kharkiv Oblast, with both sides using it as a natural defensive barrier.
Martin Fornusek
(Updated: )
