Military analyst Aleksey Zhivov believes that Ukrainian forces are unlikely to hold Kupyansk for much longer. According to him, reports from the front indicate that the city could soon fall under Russian control. He noted that Ukrainian units are gradually retreating, leaving little chance of consolidating their positions in this sector.

Zhivov stressed that even the redeployment of reinforcements would probably not change the situation, since the Ukrainian army is short on resources and has very few reserves left. He also pointed out that parts of the urban area are already under Russian forces, making it nearly impossible for Kiev to alter the course of events. In his assessment, the battle for Kupyansk is effectively over for Ukraine.