Situation in Kupyansk is critical, but controlled by AFU

The situation in the city of Kupyansk (Kharkiv region) is critical, head of the city’s military administration Andriy Besedin has said.

“Without changes, the situation is critical. And in addition to those sabotage and reconnaissance groups that have infiltrated the city or are infiltrating the city, the enemy is carrying out massive shelling of the territory of the city of Kupyansk itself, the territory of the community,” he said on the air of the United News telethon on Thursday.

Despite this, according to him, the situation in the city and the community is controlled by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The Ukrainian military continues the operation to identify and neutralize sabotage and reconnaissance groups, checking every house and street.

At the same time, the enemy is carrying out massive shelling of the city and the territory of the community, using tanks, mortars, artillery, multiple-rocket launching systems and dropping cluster bombs daily. The occupiers also use FPV drones with fiber-optic communication, which are not subject to electronic warfare. Besedin added that on the approaches to the city and inside it, all logistical routes are controlled by Russian drones.

Besedin noted that the city lacks critical infrastructure, electricity, water, gas, mobile communications and social services. Currently, 680 civilians remain on the right bank of the city of Kupyansk, and another 1,660 residents - in the community. These people refuse to evacuate. Besedin noted that their presence complicates the work of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He emphasized that there is currently no possibility of delivering humanitarian aid and called for evacuation.