Russia Claims Advance Into Kupyansk as Ukraine Denies Loss, Declares Urban Operations Ongoing
Conflicting battlefield claims over Kupyansk have escalated into a war of narratives, as Russia asserted that its forces had broken into the eastern Ukrainian city, while Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky insisted that tough fighting continues within the city limits, with Ukrainian forces actively engaged in clearing operations.
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Ukrainian authorities, however, categorically denied the reports. President Zelensky confirmed that combat was underway inside the city and described the operation as a controlled effort to eliminate Russian sabotage groups.
“There are tough actions inside Kupyansk. Our forces are conducting a cleanup. We believe the Russians will be destroyed there,” Zelensky said, speaking to journalists in Kyiv.
Ukrainian command said armored counterattacks from the Smorodkovka direction had been repelled, with two Russian APCs destroyed and one tank forced to retreat. Ukrainian troops then resumed their push toward contested sectors in Moskovka and Kupyansk proper.
Kupyansk has become a renewed flashpoint in Russia’s offensive efforts in the Kharkiv region. Ukrainian forces are conducting what officials describe as "counter-sabotage operations" within the city, targeting small Russian units attempting to infiltrate defensive lines.
Ukrainian commanders have also confirmed intense shelling and drone activity in the area, with reports of long-range Russian strikes passing through Kupyansk en route to central Ukraine.
The frontline clash comes as Kyiv prepares for another high-stakes week in international diplomacy. Zelensky will travel to New York for the UN General Assembly, where he is expected to hold bilateral talks with US President Donald Trump and push for long-term security guarantees for Ukraine.
Discussions will also focus on a new summit regarding abducted Ukrainian children, as well as possible trilateral diplomacy involving Russia.
Zelensky rejected any suggestion of a Korean-style frozen conflict or armistice agreement. He acknowledged that the war might not conclude with a final treaty but insisted that Western powers must not delay offering formal security guarantees to Ukraine.
“Nobody knows what the end of this war looks like, but we do know what we need to prevent another one,” he said. “These guarantees cannot wait.”
Russia, meanwhile, denies it has violated Estonian airspace during the recent military flights over the Baltic Sea. The Russian Ministry of Defence claimed that its MiG-31 fighter jets conducted a routine relocation from Karelia to Kaliningrad “in strict accordance with international airspace rules.”
Estonian authorities have invoked NATO Article 4 in response to what they described as an “unprecedentedly brazen” 12-minute incursion near the island of Vaindloo.
US President Trump, responding to questions, said he was awaiting a briefing and warned that the incident “could be big trouble.”
Ukraine’s battlefield posture is also shifting. Zelensky confirmed that offensive operations continue in Dobropillya and Pokrovsk, where Ukrainian forces claim to have encircled Russian units.
According to official figures, 160 square kilometres have been liberated and another 170 cleared of Russian forces. He warned, however, that Moscow has transferred elite units to attempt a halt -- including the 61st Marine Brigade.
Ukraine is also expanding its drone warfare operations deep into Russian territory. Zelensky said Ukrainian drones have struck fuel depots, logistics hubs, and military facilities, including the Druzhba oil pipeline and refineries, with measurable impact.
“Our drones are flying further, more frequently, and hitting what matters. But it’s still not enough,” he said, calling for increased production and funding.
Zelensky revealed that Ukraine will release a national policy within 10 days allowing partial arms exports -- specifically targeting surplus weapons like naval drones. The aim is to raise capital for domestic production of urgently needed battlefield systems.
“We don’t want to stop production, and we can’t afford to. So we must find a market for what we can spare,” he said.
The president also confirmed that Ukraine is coordinating with Poland and Romania to create a shared air defence shield in the country’s western regions.
The proposal would allow NATO aircraft to intercept drones targeting Ukraine’s west or approaching Polish and Romanian airspace. “These are joint actions -- mutual protection,” Zelensky said. “We don’t rely on others beyond that.”
With another major prisoner exchange under negotiation -- potentially freeing 1,000 Ukrainians -- and long-range drone strikes expanding, Zelensky’s messaging remains fixed on dual fronts: pushing the war forward tactically while demanding international allies move faster politically and economically.
“In this war, timing matters as much as tactics. We cannot afford delay,” he warned.