Russia Claims Capture of Half of Kupiansk, Ukraine Denies Advance

Russia’s Defense Ministry said Wednesday its forces had seized “about half” of Kupiansk in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region, though Kyiv rejected the claim as propaganda.

The ministry released drone footage showing a soldier raising a Russian flag on a road in the town. Ukraine’s 10th army corps dismissed the video as staged, posting its own clip it said showed Russian troops being destroyed. Ukraine’s Center Against Disinformation also called Moscow’s statement false.

Kupiansk, captured by Russia in early 2022 and retaken by Ukraine later that year, has been heavily damaged amid months of renewed fighting. The Deepstate war blog, which maps the conflict, said the flag-raising appeared to occur on contested southern outskirts.

Ukraine’s General Staff reported late Wednesday that one battle was ongoing in the Kupiansk sector, while nearly 50 Russian attempts to push forward near Pokrovsk in Donetsk region had been repelled.