UKRAINE, KHARKIV OBLAST, Oct. 7 — The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) in its assessment for Oct. 6 reported about advances of the Russian army on the Kupiansk and Velykyi Burluk axes.

The ISW geolocated footage, published on October 6, indicates that Russian forces have recently advanced north of Pischchane, southeast of Kupiansk.

Russian troops intensified their offensive in the Kupiansk direction this August, attempting to encircle the city while also trying to transfer heavy equipment across the Oskil river north of the city.

On Sep. 29, Andrii Besedin, head of the Kupiansk military administration, said that the city is currently closed because of a counter-sabotage operation against the Russian groups there.

In September, our journalists spoke with the military about the current state of affairs in and around Kupiansk.

Assessed control of terrain in the Kupiansk direction on Oct. 6
Assessed control of terrain in the Kupiansk direction on Oct. 6 / Photo: ISW
Assessed control of terrain in the Velykyi Burluk direction on Oct. 6
Assessed control of terrain in the Velykyi Burluk direction on Oct. 6 / Photo: ISW

The ISW analysts also recorded the raising of the Russian flag in the northern part of the village of Odradne, east of Velykyi Burluk in the Kharkiv region.

Earlier, ISW reported that in this direction, the Russians intensified their assaults on Sep. 28–29, making advances.

Gwara’s source in the intelligence unit anonymously added that Russian troops are likely planning to disrupt Ukraine’s logistics between the area of that incursion (towards Velykyi Burluk) and the northern flank of the Kupiansk axis (north of Dvorichna).

At the same time, Vadym Mysnyk, head of the communications of the Pivnich operational-strategic group, said that the depth of kill zones — areas where ambush fire is concentrated — is increasing on the Velykyi Burluk axis. 

Ukrainian forces employ various tactics, and during the large-scale offensive earlier this summer, the Russian army didn’t capture any settlement.

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