UKRAINE, KHARKIV REGION, Sep 20 — As of 8:00 a.m. in Ukraine, Russian forces conducted 16 assaults on the positions of the Ukrainian military in Kharkiv Oblast, the General Staff reported in their morning briefing. 

Russians advance into Kharkiv Oblast from two sides, northern (called Kharkiv axis or Kharkiv direction, with Russian offensive having started anew on May 10, 2024) and southeastern (called Kupiansk axis or direction; Russian forces have been trying to reoccupy the region since Ukraine pushed them beyond Oskil river during the Kharkiv counteroffensive in autumn 2022.) 

General Staff wrote that the most of the combat clashes, 13, occurred in the Kupiansk direction. Ukrainian army repelled these attacks nearby Stelmakhivka, Hlushkivka, and Synkivka. 

In the Kharkiv direction, according to the General Staff, Russian troops attacked Ukraine’s positions three times, and all attacks were also repelled. 

On September 18, the Institute for the Study of War reported confirmed gains Russia made on the Kupianks-Svatove-Kreminna line. 

DeepState OSINT monitoring organization that maintains a frontline tracking map also reported of gains Russia made nearby recently occupied Pishchane. 

There hasn’t been official confirmation of these gains (and of Pishchane’s occupation) from Kyiv as of September 20, but Ukrainian military units serving there confirm that Russia seized the village and is slowly advancing in the southeast section of Kupiansk direction. 

UPD from 12:32 p.m. (Kyiv) of Sep 20. Russian offensive on the Kharkiv, not Kupiansk axis started on May 10, 2024; the mistake fixed in the second paragraph of the text.

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