Russia’s main effort #1 – Luhansk Oblast (Russian objective: Capture the remainder of Luhansk Oblast and push westward into eastern Kharkiv Oblast and northern Donetsk Oblast).

Map of the Kupyansk direction / Map: Institute for the Study of War and AEI’s Critical Threats Project

Russian forces continued limited offensive operations along the Kupyansk-Svatove-Kreminna line on August 23 but made no confirmed gains. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Russian forces conducted unsuccessful offensive actions near Novoyehorivka (16 km southwest of Svatove).

Earlier, ISW reported that the Russian military had launched precise attacks on Ukrainian ground communication routes (GLOCs) in the rear areas around Kupyansk.

The aggressor state has successfully eliminated or caused significant damage to crossings of the Oskil River in the Kupyansk vicinity. These targeted sites include a road bridge within Kupyansk itself, a railway bridge situated near Kivsharivka (approximately 9 kilometres southeast of Kupyansk), as well as crossings close to Senkove (roughly 20 kilometers southeast of Kupyansk) and Borova (around 30 kilometers west of Svatove).

Might be relevant

Russian propaganda is actively spreading fakes about Success at Kupiansk direction — Kharkiv governor. Their propagandists are spreading false information about the capture of Synkivka village.

Russian convicts mobilized units to make daily attempts to capture Kupyansk — Colonel-General Syrskyi. Commander of the Ground Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi spoke about some solutions to strengthen the city’s defense.

Constant missile attacks and empty streets: how Kupyansk lives on the front line. This city in Kharkiv Oblast is 10-15 km/ 6–9 miles from the front line and 40 km/ 25 miles from the border with Russia. The city was severely damaged at the beginning of the full-scale invasion and during the battle for its liberation in September 2022. Today, it is constantly under fire from Russian MLRS and S-300 systems.