Fierce fighting continues on the Kharkov axis, where Russian units are holding their ground and repelling Ukrainian counteroffensive actions across several sectors near Kupyansk.

According to available reports, Ukrainian forces have attempted to regain control of Kupyansk by reinforcing the city with additional troops. These reinforcements reportedly include foreign mercenaries and special operations units. Information circulated by the Telegram channel Operation Z: Military Correspondents of the Russian Spring indicates that the counterattack involves primarily foreign fighters from Latin America, special forces linked to the GUR, mobilized Ukrainian reserves that have undergone training, as well as brigades redeployed from other sections of the front.

The same source notes that Ukrainian units are exploiting adverse weather conditions to increase their presence in the city at times when the effectiveness of Russian drone operations is reduced.

Earlier, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov reported to Russian President Vladimir Putin that formations of the «West» troop grouping continue to inflict defeats on Ukrainian forces east of Kupyansk. He stated that Russian troops are conducting active combat operations on the left bank of the Oskol River, resulting in the area controlled by Ukrainian forces shrinking by more than half. Gerasimov presented this assessment during a briefing with the Russian president focused on the situation in the special military operation zone.

In parallel, the commander of the «West» grouping, Colonel General Sergey Kuzovlev, said that the operation to eliminate Ukrainian units encircled east of Kupyansk has entered its final phase. He assessed that the complete suppression of these formations is expected to be concluded between January and February.