UKRAINE, KHARKIV OBLAST, Oct 21 — The Russian army attacked Ukrainian positions 12 times in the Kupiansk direction. The Russians attacked near six settlements, reported the General Staff.

One of the main goals of the Russian full-scale war is to capture the remainder of occupied Luhansk and Donetsk Oblast; their operations on the Kupiansk-Svatove-Kreminna line are dedicated to that. From this section of the frontline, they also aim to push into Kharkiv Oblast and re-occupy Kupiansk and Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi, important logistics hubs for the region.  

In the Kupiansk direction, the Ukrainian forces repelled Russian attacks near Holubivka, Kolisnykivka, Lozova, Pishchane, Vyshneve, and Novoosynove.

In addition, in the Kharkiv direction, the Russians conducted unsuccessful offensive and assault operations near Vovchansk four times.

On October 17, Anton Baiev, head of the planning department of the 13th National Guard Brigade “Khartia”, said on Ukrainian TV that during an operation north of Lyptsi in the Kharkiv region, the Ukrainian Defense Forces captured at least 20 Russian troops. Among them were Wagner PMC troops who had previously participated in combat in the Bakhmut direction.

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  • Russian troops have advanced in the area near the village of Kolisnykivka in the Kurylivka community, which is 24 miles from the city of Kupiansk, reported the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Kyiv hasn’t confirmed this information as of October 16.