UKRAINE, KHARKIV OBLAST, Dec 4 – On December 2-3, the Russian army conducted offensives on the Kharkiv axis but failed to advance as the Russian side claimed, says the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) in their daily report, based on the geolocation footage.

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.  

On December 2 and 3, in the Kharkiv direction, Russians conducted an offensive near Kozacha Lopan, Hlyboke, Starytsia, and Vovchansk but did not make any progress, according to ISW.

The Russian army also continued assaults in the Kupiansk direction but also failed to make any advances. 

Russian military bloggers claimed that the Russians had advanced near the villages of Kopanky and Lozova of the Borova community and had established fire control over a section of one of the Dvorichna-Kupiansk roads. ISW found no confirmation forthis information as well.

The General Staff reported 13 combat clashes in the Kupiansk direction over the day. In the Kharkiv direction, the Russian army conducted six offensive and assault operations in the areas of Vovchansk, Hlyboke, and Kozacha Lopan.

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  • Over the past year, the Russian troops have been building up reserves to intensify their offensive in the eastern direction, including the Kupiansk axis. Their goal is to reach the borders of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, said Nazar Voloshyn, spokesman for the “Khortytsia” strategic group of forces.