Battle of Kupiansk explained

Conflict:Battle of Kupiansk
Partof:the 2022 Ukrainian Kharkiv counteroffensive of the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Date:8–16 September 2022
Place:Kupiansk, Kupiansk Raion, Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine
Result:Ukrainian victory
Combatant2: Ukraine
Commander1: Roman Berdnikov[1]
Aleksandr Lapin
Commander2: Oleksandr Syrskyi[2]
Units1:
Units2:

Security Service of Ukraine

National Guard of Ukraine[5]

Casualties1:Ukrainian claim:
16 captured
Casualties2:Unknown

The battle of Kupiansk was a part of the Ukrainian Kharkiv counteroffensive that began on 8 September 2022 and ended on 16 September 2022. A Financial Times article on 28 September depicted the battle and the Ukrainian advance preceding it as "the 90km journey that changed the course of the war in Ukraine."[6]

Background

See main article: articles, Russian occupation of Kharkiv Oblast and 2022 Kharkiv counteroffensive.

Kupiansk was occupied by Russian forces from 27 February 2022.[7] Although the Ukrainian army had destroyed a railway bridge to slow the Russian advance three days earlier, Kupiansk Mayor Hennadiy Matsehora, member of the Opposition Platform — For Life party, surrendered the city to the Russian Army in exchange for a cessation of hostilities, as the Russians threatened to take the city by force. As a result, the Ukrainian government indicted Matsehora for treason the next day.[8] On 28 February 2022, Matsehora was arrested by Ukrainian authorities.[9] Later Kupiansk became the de facto seat of the Russian-backed Kharkiv military-civilian administration[6] and an important logistical supply route.[10]

Prior to the battle, the Ukrainian general staff claimed an attack near Kupiansk on 5 September killed and wounded more than 100 Russian soldiers.[11]

Battle

On 8 September 2022, following a large-scale Ukrainian counteroffensive capturing over 20 settlements in just days, Russian occupation authorities in the city claimed that Russian forces began to defend Kupiansk.[12] [13] On 10 September, a Ukrainian official published an image of members of the 92nd Mechanized Brigade's 1st Mechanized Battalion raising the Ukrainian flag over the city council building.[14]

Maxim Gubin, the pro-Russian mayoral replacement for Matsehora, had fled to Russia following Ukraine retaking Kupiansk.

Kupiansk's bridge over the Oskil River was partially damaged in combat, and became suitable only for use by pedestrians.[3] Russian forces bombed the local meat factory of Kupiansk, killing around a thousand pigs.[3] Ukrainian forces recaptured parts of Kupiansk located on the eastern bank of the Oskil on 16 September, thus taking control of the entire city of Kupiansk.[15]

Aftermath

See also: Luhansk Oblast campaign. Following the Ukrainian liberation of the town, Russian forces began to shell Kupiansk.[16] The first strikes against the town were on 13 September, which killed two civilians.[17] The next day, one person was wounded from airstrikes.[18] On 18 September, five people were injured from shelling in Kupiansk.[19] Two days later, two civilians were killed and five injured after Russian shelling on the city.[20] On 22 September, a woman and two children were injured by shelling.[21] On 27 September, five civilians were injured after a Russian strike on a church in Kupiansk.[22]

On 3 October, Russian shelling of a hospital in Kupiansk killed a doctor and injured a nurse.[23] One woman was injured on 5 October by an airstrike.[24]

On 26 September, Russian forces shelled a convoy of civilians escaping the villages of Kurylivka and Pishchane, near Kupiansk, killing 26 civilians. Signs of torture were discovered in Russian administration centers throughout the city.[25]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Командувача військ західного округу РФ Берднікова зняли з посади після успішного наступу ЗСУ на Харківщині . 12 September 2022 . Цензор.НЕТ . 11 September 2022 . uk . 29 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220929023419/https://censor.net/ua/news/3366461/komanduvacha_viyisk_zahidnogo_okrugu_rf_berdnikova_znyaly_z_posady_pislya_uspishnogo_nastupu_zsu_na . live .
  2. 1568576718692093952 . DefenceU . [...] The Commander of Ukrainian Land Forces, Hero of Ukraine, Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi is leading the Ukrainian offensive in this sector. [...] . . 10 September 2022 . 11 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220911095421/https://twitter.com/DefenceU/status/1568576718692093952 . 11 September 2022.
  3. News: IL Ukrainassa: Kraken-yksikkö työnsi venäläiset ulos Kupianskista – taisteluissa kaduilla juoksi sikoja ja venäläiset pakenivat metsään . Järvenkylä . Nina . 16 November 2022 . . fi . 6 December 2022 . 6 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221206152433/https://www.iltalehti.fi/ulkomaat/a/425e6a23-0e4c-41b4-a9f6-2f08cb86c155#gallery . live .
  4. Web site: Ukrainian forces capture key town as counteroffensive gathers pace: Kyiv . Cole . Brendan . . 10 September 2022 . 20 September 2022 . 3 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230303225442/https://www.newsweek.com/russia-ukraine-counteroffensive-kharkiv-kupiansk-sbu-1741779 . live .
  5. Web site: Ukrainian serviceman on liberated Kupiansk: Collaborators in basements, children taken to Russia . Ukrinform . 2 October 2022 . 9 December 2022 . 6 June 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230606101021/https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3584285-ukrainian-serviceman-on-liberated-kupiansk-collaborators-hiding-in-basements-children-taken-to-russia.html . live .
  6. News: 28 September 2022 . The 90km journey that changed the course of the war in Ukraine . Financial Times(FT) . 1 October 2022 . 1 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221001153222/https://ig.ft.com/ukraine-counteroffensive/ . live .
  7. Web site: In Kharkiv region, mayor admits to handing over city to occupiers. Pravda. 27 February 2022. 28 February 2022. 28 February 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220228032920/https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2022/02/27/7326623/. live.
  8. Web site: Mayor of Kupiansk who surrendered his city to invaders indicted for treason . 22 March 2022 . Ukrayinska Pravda . en . 16 March 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220316090723/https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2022/02/28/7326851/ . live .
  9. Web site: 28 February 2022 . Мера Куп'янська, який здав місто окупантам, затримано – джерело . Mayor of Kupyansk, who surrendered the city to the occupiers, has been detained – source . 22 March 2022 . LIGA . uk . 18 March 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220318012604/https://news.liga.net/ua/politics/news/mer-kupyanska-kotoryy-sdal-gorod-okkupantam-zaderjan-istochnik . live .
  10. Goodhind . William . 2023 . Report 7: Russian Military Convoys, Occupied-Kupiansk, Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine, 5 and 31 May 2022 . en . 10.13140/RG.2.2.22703.10407/1 . Contested Ground.
  11. Web site: Armed Forces of Ukraine advance on Kramatorsk front, killing up to 100 occupiers near Kupiansk General Staff . Mazurenko . Alona . 5 September 2022 . 16 September 2022 . . 8 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220908055117/https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2022/09/5/7366199/ . live .
  12. Web site: Occupation authorities in Kupiansk say that Russian army began to defend the city, and additional reinforcement entered the region from Russia Kupyansk, Kharkiv - Ukraine Interactive map - Ukraine Latest news on live map - liveuamap.com . 2024-03-11 . Ukraine Interactive map - Ukraine Latest news on live map - liveuamap.com . en.
  13. Web site: Representative of General staff of Armed forces of Ukraine says over 20 settlements were liberated in Kharkiv region, in some areas penetration in Russian defense positions up to 50 kms Kharkiv - Ukraine Interactive map - Ukraine Latest news on live map - liveuamap.com . 2024-03-11 . Ukraine Interactive map - Ukraine Latest news on live map - liveuamap.com . en.
  14. Web site: Gerasimova . Tanya . September 10, 2022 . AFU Raise Ukrainian Flag Over Kupyansk City Council - Kharkiv Regional Council . Ukrainian News.
  15. Web site: Institute for the Study of War . 17 September 2022 . . en . 20 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220920094547/https://understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-september-16 . live .
  16. News: 15 October 2022 . In Kupiansk, in northeast Ukraine, liberation came at a steep cost . Loveluck . Louisa . Korolchuk . Serhii . Grzedzinski . Wojciech . 5 December 2022 . . en . 16 November 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221116013003/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/10/15/kupiansk-liberation-ukraine-war-offensive/ . live .
  17. Web site: Three civilians killed in Russia's shelling of Kharkiv region . 13 September 2022 . 9 December 2022 . . en . 9 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221209194354/https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3570225-three-civilians-killed-in-russias-shelling-of-kharkiv-region.html . live .
  18. Web site: Three wounded in enemy attacks on liberated territories of Kharkiv region . 14 September 2022 . 9 December 2022 . . en . 9 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221209194358/https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3571029-three-wounded-in-enemy-attacks-on-liberated-territories-of-kharkiv-region.html . live .
  19. Web site: Russian forces shell civilian car in Kharkiv region, killing two women . 18 September 2022 . 9 December 2022 . . en . 9 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221209194354/https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3573958-russian-forces-shell-civilian-car-in-kharkiv-region-killing-two-women.html . live .
  20. Web site: Two civilians killed, nine more injured in enemy shelling of Kharkiv region . 20 September 2022 . 9 December 2022 . . en . 9 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221209194353/https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3575805-two-civilians-killed-nine-more-injured-in-enemy-shelling-of-kharkiv-region.html . live .
  21. Web site: Russian troops again shell liberated Kupiansk, injuring woman and two children . 22 September 2022 . 9 December 2022 . . en . 9 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221209194402/https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3577660-russian-troops-again-shell-liberated-kupiansk-injuring-woman-and-two-children.html . live .
  22. Web site: Missile strike on Kupiansk: President's Office shows consequences of attack . 27 September 2022 . 9 December 2022 . . en . 9 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221209194355/https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3580391-missile-strike-on-kupiansk-presidents-office-shows-consequences-of-attack.html . live .
  23. Web site: Zelensky: invaders shell hospital in Kupyansk, killing doctor, injuring nurse . 3 October 2022 . 9 December 2022 . . en . 9 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221209194353/https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3585080-zelensky-invaders-shell-hospital-in-kupyansk-killing-doctor-injuring-nurse.html . live .
  24. Web site: Three civilians injured in enemy shelling of Kharkiv region . 5 October 2022 . 9 December 2022 . . en . 9 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221209194400/https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3586223-three-civilians-injured-in-enemy-shelling-of-kharkiv-region.html . live .
  25. News: Gallón . Natalie . Walsh . Nick Paton . Gak . Kostyantin . Lâiné . Brice . 19 September 2022 . Liberation has finally come to Ukraine's Kharkiv. But scars of Russia's brutal occupation remain . 5 December 2022 . . en . 5 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221205044616/https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/19/europe/kupiansk-ukraine-liberated-russia-intl-cmd/index.Html . live .

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