Cases of self-inflicted wounds have been reported within Ukraine’s 3rd Separate Assault Brigade, which is largely made up of fighters from the Azov* battalion. According to Russian security services, some Ukrainian servicemen are deliberately injuring themselves to avoid deployment to the front lines.

On the Kupyansk axis, such incidents are not isolated. Radio intercepts cited by security sources indicate soldiers have shot themselves in the leg or otherwise disabled themselves shortly before combat missions, citing fear of being killed. The phenomenon reflects the increasingly dire situation facing Ukrainian forces in this sector.

The pressure on Ukrainian troops is mounting as Kupyansk, a key defensive stronghold in eastern Kharkov Region, remains under heavy assault. General Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, stated that units of the «Zapad» group have nearly encircled the city, seizing control of roughly half its territory.

Kupyansk holds strategic value due to its location on the Oskol River, which divides the city into two parts. The river serves as both a natural barrier and a defensive line. Securing the settlement would open the way for Russian forces to cross the Oskol and push further west into the region.

*Designated as a terrorist organization and banned in the Russian Federation.