UKRAINE, KHARKIV OBLAST, Dec 19 — The Russian army attacked seven times in the Kupiansk direction, with Ukrainian forces repelling its assaults near Kucherivka, Stepova Novoselivka, Bohuslavka, Zahryzove, and Nova Krystynivka, 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, the Russians also attacked the positions of Ukrainian troops seven times in the areas of Hoptivka, Hlyboke, Vysoka Yaruha, Buhruvatka, and Starytsia.

Russia launched one missile attack, 15 airstrikes, dropping 29 glide bombs (KABs) on positions of Ukrainian troops and on cities and villages in the Kharkiv region over the past day. Russians fired about 4,200 times at Ukrainian forces, including 151 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.