UKRAINE, KHARKIV OBLAST, Dec 19 — In the Kupiansk direction, there were 19 attacks, with Ukrainian forces repelling assaults near Kindrashivka, Petropavlivka, Kolisnykivka, Nova Kruhliakivka, Lozova, Dvorichna and Bohuslavka, 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 Kharkiv direction, there were four combat clashes near Vovchansk yesterday. 

Russia launched 13 airstrikes, dropping 52 glide bombs (KABs) on positions of Ukrainian troops and on cities and villages in the Kharkiv region over the past day. Russians fired about 4,000 times at Ukrainian forces, including 182 times with multiple launch rocket systems.

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  • In the Kharkiv direction, the Russians have built up enough manpower and equipment to launch a second offensive from the north, said Oleksandr Danylenko, head of the communication for the “Gart” border guard brigade, to Ukrainian outlet Suspilne.