Kupiansk: The focal point of Putin's military ambitions ahead of crucial elections
At the end of January, Oleg Sinegubov, the head of the Kharkiv military administration, stated that conflict in the Kupiansk region (Kharkiv oblast) had once again escalated. He reported that the assailants had reinitiated offensive operations in proximity to the city.
Kupiansk appears to be a priority for the Russians in the upcoming weeks. Forbes reports they have amassed 500 tanks, 600 armoured vehicles, hundreds of howitzers, and even 40,000 soldiers. Soon, a substantial offensive is expected to commence in the city, which is located in the Kharkiv Oblast.
Kupiansk is a target for Vladimir Putin, with elections looming in the background
Russians occupied Kupiansk in late February 2022. However, half a year has passed, and the Ukrainians have reclaimed the city. On September 10, 2022, the first reports emerged of the town being wrested from Russian control as part of a counteroffensive at the time.
Despite this, intense combat persisted in the city's vicinity in the ensuing months. In January of this year, Kupiansk became the focus of massive rocket assaults. Russian forces carry out rigorous attacks in the city's surroundings.
Forbes reports, citing a portion of the Kharkiv Oblast being an electoral gift for Putin from the Russian army in Ukraine as the reason for the substantial Russian pressure on Kupiansk.
According to the Ukrainian Center for Defense Strategies, the Russian Federation plans to conquer the entire Donetsk and Luhansk regions, including part of the Kharkiv region up to the Oskol River, by March 2024.
Forbes indicates that there are approximately 20,000 Ukrainian troops in this area, along with hundreds of howitzers, tanks and armoured vehicles. However, a key constraint on their defensive capacity is the shortage of ammunition. Ukrainians fire 2,000 shells daily, while the Russians fire as many as 10,000.
In recent months, invaders have seized the initiative along practically the entire frontline.
