Russia's Attempt to Capture Kupiansk Fails — Ukraine Maintains Control of Key Eastern City

Ukrainian troops have effectively thwarted multiple Russian attempts to breach Kupiansk, a city of strategic importance in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine. A Ukrainian commander has verified that the city remains entirely in Ukrainian hands despite ongoing challenges. Russian small units are trying to infiltrate the city using thick vegetation for concealment, but they are being spotted and neutralized before gaining any ground. The unsuccessful bid at Kupiansk coincides with larger losses, as ISW reports indicate Russia has forfeited a net of 29 square miles of Ukrainian land just in the last week — marking the fastest rate of territorial decline in over a year.