Ukrainian forces successfully counterattack and encircle Russians in Kupiansk
Ukraine's defence forces have carried out a successful counterattack near the city of Kupiansk and have encircled a Russian grouping in the city.
Source: command of the 2nd Khartia Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine; DeepState map; Khartia commander Ihor Obolenskyi in a comment to Ukrainska Pravda
Quote from Obolenskyi: "The task was to enter the city and clear it of Russians. We operated simultaneously along two or three axes, cutting off their logistics. Today we can say that the Russians in the city have been completely cut off. For a long time they could not understand what was happening. But now they know that they are encircled."
Details: The 2nd Corps reported that troops from the 475th Assault Regiment Code 9.2, supported by the 4th Battalion of the 92nd Assault Brigade, have liberated the village of Kindrashivka, its outskirts and surrounding forests, while the group from the 13th Khartia operational brigade has fully liberated the village of Radkivka and its outskirts and surrounding forests and driven the Russian forces out of several dozen houses in the northern part of Kupiansk itself.
The corps said that several months ago Russian forces broke through into Kupiansk, advancing up to six kilometres from the Oskil River, as a result of which the situation in the city and surrounding villages became critical.
In September Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi formed the Khartia search-and-strike grouping, composed of units of the 13th Khartia Operational Brigade, the 475th Assault Regiment Code 9.2, units from the 92nd Assault Brigade, units from the Foreign Legion of Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU), the 144th Mechanised Brigade, the 127th Separate Territorial Defence Brigade and other units.
The Kupiansk tactical grouping has been operating directly in the city itself and continues to do so, engaging in fighting with Russian forces in this populated area.
In October-November, units of the Khartia search-and-strike grouping defeated several battalions and assault detachments from three regiments of the 68th Motorised Rifle Division and the 27th Motorised Rifle Brigade of the Russian Armed Forces, which were operating with the support of a regiment of unmanned forces and Rubikon and Sudnyi Den (Doomsday) UAV units.
In a conversation with Ukrainska Pravda, the commander of the 2nd Khartia Corps who was responsible for planning and commanding the operation, said that between September and now the number of Russians verified as killed stands at more than 1,000, and that at present there are no more than 200 Russians in the city itself.
Quote from Obolenskyi: "They are now throwing in all the reserves they have and are trying to break through the defences. But we can see all of them and we are killing them. By the way, we are seeing a lot of foreigners, in particular from Syria and African countries."
Details: The corps reports that all exits from the gas pipeline the Russians used to enter Kupiansk have been brought under Ukrainian fire advantage. All Russian supplies are delivered exclusively by drones via the air, but the fulfilment of the mission has been complicated by the fact that up to 500 local residents still remain in the city, whom the Russians are using as a human shield.
Quote from Obolenskyi: "I would like to single out the work of Code 9.2, who have done an excellent job, and to thank experts from DeepState for their understanding and information support. In fact, all the units that took part in the operation have performed very well."
More details: Between 22 September and 12 December, units forming part of the Khartia search-and-strike grouping killed 1,027 Russian servicemen whose deaths have been confirmed by independently verified sources, wounded 291, and took 13 Russian soldiers prisoner.
"Fighting in the city centre is still ongoing, but in due course Ukrainian Kupiansk will be fully liberated. We thank the neighbouring units: the 127th and 101st Brigades, Special Operations Forces units, Military Police, the Security Service of Ukraine's Special Group Alpha and the KORD National Police special unit for their precise work and effective coordination," Khartia stressed.
Background:
- Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin and Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov have, over the past few weeks, repeatedly claimed the full occupation of Kupiansk and the "encirclement of 145 battalions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU)".
- In particular, statements from the Russians about the "encirclement of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Kupiansk" and the "liberation of the city" have very often coincided with an intensification of peace talks.
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