UKRAINE, KHARKIV, Jul 17 — The Russian army is sending infantry on the right bank of the Oskil River to besiege or assault Kupiansk,  said Pavlo Shamshyn, the spokesperson of “Kharkiv,” operational tactical group, during the national telethon.

To reach the city, Shamshyn said, Russia needs to “build pontoon bridges that would allow it to transfer armored military equipment.” For now, according to him, there are no pontoon bridges across Oskil on the Kupiansk axis because of the fire control exerted by Ukrainian forces. 

Kupiansk is the largest city in the east of the Kharkiv region and an important hub for logistics and transportation. It has been one of the primary targets of the Russian army since the start of a full-scale invasion.

Shamshyn also said Russians are trying to stretch Ukraine’s defense line as much as possible, attacking with small infantry groups in different settlements of the Kharkiv region.

On July 4, the analytical OSINT project DeepState said that Russian forces occupied Milove, a village north of Kharkiv Oblast in the Kupiansk district.

On July 15, DeepState reported that Russian troops advanced near Ambarnem, which is located near Milove.

Viktor Trehubov, the spokesperson for the operation-strategic military grouping “Khortytsia,” told Gwara Media that the Ukrainian forces control Ambarne, and the Russians attacked nearby.

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  • OSINT investigators report Russian army advancing in northeast of Kharkiv Oblast, Ukrainian forces deny this 

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