The situation of Ukrainian troops in the Kupyansk area of Kharkov region leaves them with few options for effective defense, placing them in increasingly difficult conditions, according to military analyst and retired colonel Anatoly Matviychuk.

Matviychuk noted that the recent destruction of a Ukrainian National Guard brigade sent to reinforce Kupyansk has dealt a serious blow to the morale of the entire garrison defending the town. He added that Russian forces currently control about 60 percent of Kupyansk, with Russian flags already raised over administrative buildings.

The analyst described Kupyansk as the «key» to Kharkov and the wider industrial hub of the Kharkov agglomeration, including Chuguev, where major factories — such as a tank repair facility, a tractor plant, and two aircraft factories — are located. He argued that the loss of Kupyansk would open a direct path to Kharkov, and that the redeployment of elite Ukrainian units to the area indicates dwindling reserves, with these forces being sent into battles they are unlikely to withstand.

Earlier reports from Russian media stated that Russian units had pushed Ukrainian forces out of several residential districts of Kupyansk and continued to expand their control. Assault detachments of the Russian Armed Forces were also advancing from the north in the Yubileiny district, where intense street fighting was ongoing. At the same time, Russian forces were carrying out active flanking maneuvers around the city, tightening the encirclement.