KHARKIV OBLAST, Feb 20 — The Russian troops have concentrated about 42,000 people in the Kupiansk axis, reported Illia Yevlash, an Eastern Force Grouping spokesperson, during the national telethon on February 19.

“This [figure — ed.] include service units, rémbats, cooks, logisticians, and engineers, so many people generally present in this direction. Roughly speaking, about a third of them [third of 42,000 people] are combat troops who participate in the first line of defense,” Yevlash said.

According to him, the Russian army also has 500 tanks, more than 650 armored vehicles, 430 artillery systems, and more than 150 multiple-launch rocket systems in this direction.

Ukrainian troops repelled two Russian attacks in the Kupiansk axis near Tabaivka in the Kharkiv Oblast over the past day.

Situation in the Kupiansk direction

On January 27-28, 2024, the Russians claimed the capture of the village of Tabaivka in the Kharkiv Oblast, but the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has no evidence to confirm this claim. At the same time, DeepState [interactive online map of hostilities in Ukraine — ed.] analysts reported that the Russians did occupy the village. At the time, ISW analysts noted in a report that the Russian army had recently made a confirmed advance northeast of Kupiansk.

Earlier, the Russian troops captured the village of Krokhmalne in the Kharkiv Oblast. The Institute for the Study of War also reported this on January 20, 2024, citing geolocation images.

Oleh Syniehubov, the head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, confirmed to Gwara’s journalists that the “grey zone” in the Kharkiv Oblast had increased. According to him, the Russians are constantly trying to storm Ukrainian positions in the Kupiansk direction and terrorize the local population.

Read more