"Drone footage confirms that Russian troops control about 50% of Kupyansk," the Russian Ministry of Defense announced on 3/9/2025.
The accompanying video shows Russian soldiers holding their national flag while standing amidst ruined buildings in an urban area. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, these soldiers are in central Kupyansk and areas containing the most important administrative and industrial facilities, including the city hall.
"The western forces are continuing their operation to liberate Kupyansk and surrounding areas," the Russian Ministry of Defense said.
Russian soldiers in Kupyansk in a video published on 3/9/2025. Video: Russian Ministry of Defense
A war map published the same day by DeepState, an analytical group affiliated with the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, shows fighting taking place in northwestern Kupyansk, with Russian forces having secured a small portion of the area.
The Ukrainian military has not commented on the information.
Kupyansk is a strategically important transportation hub, connecting rail and road networks in northeastern Ukraine, and is part of Ukraine's key defensive line in Kharkov province. Russia previously captured Kupyansk in the early stages of the conflict but was ousted by Ukraine during a lightning counteroffensive in late 2022.
Russian media suggest that capturing Kupyansk would allow their military to advance further westward. In late August, Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov said the western forces had almost completely encircled Kupyansk.
Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov stated last week that Moscow's forces are accelerating their advance on the battlefield, now capturing 600-700 km2 of territory each month, compared to 300-400 km2 earlier this year.
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The state of the war in Kupyansk in a map published on 3/9/2025. Graphics: DeepState |
The state of the war in Kupyansk in a map published on 3/9/2025. Graphics: DeepState
An AFP analysis based on data from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) shows that Russian forces controlled 594 km2 of territory in August, slightly down from 634 km2 in July, ending four consecutive months of increasing gains.
August saw numerous diplomatic efforts to find a resolution to the conflict in Ukraine, including meetings between US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. However, these meetings, along with three previous rounds of direct dialogue between Russia and Ukraine, have not yet yielded concrete progress.
Kyiv has repeatedly accused Moscow of not seriously seeking peace but rather using diplomatic efforts by Trump to buy time.
Pham Giang (According to RIA Novosti, Reuters, AFP)
