UKRAINE, KHARKIV OBLAST, Apr. 22 — The amount of Russian attacks on the Kupiansk axis is increasing. The Ukrainian military from the 43rd Mechanized Brigade killed about 50 Russian soldiers in a week in this area, said Artur Martirosian, the officer of the 43rd Mechanized Brigade, to the Army TV channel.

“While Ukrainian forces repelled 10 assaults in the previous 24 hours, that number has risen to 17 over the past day,” said Martirosian.

According to the officer, Russians continued their attacks on Petropavlivka, Kolisnykivka, Nova Kruhliakivka, Kivsharivka, and Novoosynove settlements in the Kupiansk district.

Martirosian noted that Russians started to step up their efforts toward Kupiansk itself, attempting to advance toward the city from both the left and right banks of the Oskil river.

He said that a group of five Russian soldiers tried to enter Kupiansk:

“Ukrainian soldiers killed three of them before they even reached (the city — ed.). Two others managed to enter Kupiansk to raise a Russian flag there,” said the officer.

Martirosian said that they ran into a five-story building, which the Ukrainian military also struck. “One decided to surrender, while the other could think of nothing better than to jump out of a fifth-floor window and test gravity.”

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