Russian forces are continuing attempts to breach Ukrainian defenses in the Kharkiv region, with fighting ongoing near Vovchansk and Kupyansk.
The Russians are trying to capture more ground to establish a “buffer zone,” Viktor Tregubov, head of communications for Ukraine’s Joint Forces, said on a national telethon, according to RBC-Ukraine.
He said Russian troops have not made gains in the Kupyansk sector and are avoiding the use of armor. Instead, they are advancing in small infantry groups of 15 to 20 soldiers.
Russia aims to set up a so-called “buffer zone” in parts of Kharkiv and Sumy regions along the Slobozhansky axis, Tregubov said, but those plans are being disrupted by Ukraine’s Defense Forces. Recently, Ukrainian paratroopers foiled an attempt by Russian troops to establish a bridgehead for a further push toward the settlement of Khotin.
Earlier reports said that by tightening control over Kupyansk in the Kharkiv region, Ukrainian forces have deprived the Kremlin of a bargaining chip for potential peace talks and “handed a card” to President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Zelensky announced the liberation of Kupyansk on December 12, 2025, recording a video address by the city’s entrance stele.
In its January 16 assessment, the U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) noted that “Kupyansk has become a nerve point” for the Kremlin.
