Ukraine Orders Mass Evacuations Near Heavily Damaged Kupiansk
Local authorities in Ukraine have ordered the evacuation of residents from dozens of villages surrounding the severely damaged northeastern town of Kupiansk, citing a deteriorating security situation due to intensified Russian attacks.
Oleg Sygubov, governor of the Kharkiv region, announced via Telegram that 409 families, including 601 children, are being evacuated from 27 settlements. A subsequent report to Saspilne public television indicated the evacuation order has been expanded to include 40 settlements.
Russian forces have been focusing attacks on Kupiansk for months, viewing it as a key strategic point in a potential offensive westward through central and eastern Ukraine. The town was initially captured by Russia in the early stages of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, but Ukrainian forces retook it later that year.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated last week that Ukrainian forces are actively defending key areas,including Kupiansk. He has also recently discussed a Ukrainian counter-offensive near Dobropila, located further south.
Meanwhile, russian President Vladimir Putin informed senior officers last week that Russian forces hold a strategic advantage along the entire front line, which Ukrainian commander-in-chief Alexander Syrskyi estimates extends over 1,200 kilometers.
