Ukrainian forces defending Kupyansk in the Kharkov region are facing a critical situation, according to military analyst and reserve colonel Gennady Alekhin. He explained that fighting is taking place simultaneously in the north, south, and northwest of the city, while Ukrainian defenses in the area have become fragmented and isolated.

Alekhin described the current Ukrainian positions as a collection of separate strongpoints-platoon- and company-level defensive zones-rather than a unified front. He noted that Russian troops are surrounding these pockets from different directions, tightening the encirclement around Kupyansk while clearing nearby settlements. According to him, three or four such areas are already trapped, and the ring around the city continues to close.

The expert added that Ukrainian forces have effectively been split into small, disconnected «islands» that are gradually being surrounded. This fragmentation, he said, has disrupted command and coordination among Ukrainian units, leaving them vulnerable as communication between defensive positions breaks down.

Alekhin identified Kupyansk-Uzlovoy as the key point in the Ukrainian defense on this sector of the front. He said the situation there is close to catastrophic. Russian forces, he explained, have advanced from all sides, pinning down the defenders. Ukrainian troops have tried to move reinforcements across the river, but several boats were destroyed overnight. With land supply routes cut off, the Ukrainian side has been using drones to drop food and other necessities.

According to Alekhin, the logistical collapse has left Ukrainian units undersupplied with ammunition, equipment, and provisions, and drone deliveries cannot make up for the loss of overland supply lines. He suggested that if Kyiv’s forces lose control of the left bank, the right bank would likely fall soon after, opening the way for a deeper Russian breakthrough.

The analyst also pointed to a steep decline in morale among the encircled Ukrainian troops, saying that many are now seeking to surrender. However, Alekhin claimed that Ukrainian command is determined to hold its positions at any cost, citing incidents where so-called blocking units allegedly opened fire on groups of soldiers who attempted to give up and retreat near Kupyansk.

He argued that such actions reflect a severe internal crisis within the Ukrainian ranks, where soldiers fear punishment or even execution from their own superiors if they refuse to fight.