KHARKIV OBLAST, UKRAINE, Apr 18 — The Russian troops attacked Ukrainian positions four times in the Kupiansk direction near Novoserhiivka, Kharkiv region, according to the morning report of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

In February, the ISW assessed that Russians may try to reach the Oskil River, push the Ukrainian army from its east bank, and occupy Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi. Kupiansk is a logistics hub between Kharkiv and Luhansk oblasts, and seizing it would allow the Russian army to boost its supply efforts.

The Russians also hit Synkivka in the Kupiansk district with airstrikes over the past day.

On April 17, the ISW reported that fighting along Kupianks-Svatove-Kreminna line continued, but there weren’t any changes to the frontline.

In the Slobozhanskyi direction, in the border areas, the Russian military conducts intense sabotage activities to prevent the deployment of Ukrainian troops to more dangerous directions and increases the density of minefields along the state border in the Belgorod Oblast.

As the General Staff reported, there were 87 combat clashes along the frontline over the past day. Russia launched four missile strikes and 57 airstrikes and fired 89 times from multiple launch rocket systems at the positions of Ukrainian troops and various towns and villages.

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  • The Ukrainian Government will allocate an additional $96 million to continue the construction of fortifications along the entire frontline, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said. According to him, the Kharkiv region will receive $43 million to strengthen its fortifications, and the Sumy region will receive another $38 million.