Ukraine admits 'difficult' northeast battlefield

Ukraine faces fierce fighting on its northeastern frontline near Kupyansk, where officials have urged residents to evacuate ahead of a Russian advance.

"Russia is trying to gain the upper hand in the Kupyansk area and break through our defenses. The situation remains difficult but under control," Sergiy Cherevaty, a spokesman for eastern Ukrainian forces, said on state television on August 10.

Local authorities had earlier ordered the evacuation of residents of 37 villages between the city of Kupyansk and the Russian front line, mainly vulnerable people such as women with young children, the elderly, the sick and those with limited mobility, as Moscow stepped up its offensive.

"The evacuation began on August 9, after the order was signed," said the head of the Kupyansk city military administration, Andriy Besedin, adding that residents could refuse to evacuate but had to submit a request to the authorities.

Local officials are also considering forcibly evacuating children "if the situation continues to escalate and shelling increases," Mr Besedin added.

A facility burned down by fighting in the city of Kupiansk, Kharkov region, northeastern Ukraine on August 5. Photo: Reuters — A facility burned down by fighting in the city of Kupiansk, Kharkov region, northeastern Ukraine on August 5. Photo: *Reuters*

Kupyansk is a railway hub in Kharkiv province. Russian forces withdrew from the city after a lightning counterattack by the Ukrainian army in September 2022, but many residents fear that Moscow could retake the city in a new offensive.

On August 7, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that it had advanced 11 kilometers in the direction of Kupyansk, penetrating more than 3 kilometers into the Ukrainian defense line. Three days later, it announced that the Western Army's assault units had taken over several positions along the Kupyansk front line.

The Telegram account of the Voyennaya Chronica newspaper reported that the Russian army is only 7 km away from Kupyansk, and the city is now within range of Russian artillery.

The Ukrainian military said on August 9 that Kupyansk "is now the main direction of Russian attack." Ukrainian military commander Valery Zaluzhny affirmed that fierce fighting continues and Ukrainian units maintain the offensive initiative on the battlefield.

Ukraine launched a counteroffensive in early June, sending several NATO-trained brigades armed with Western weapons to the battlefield. Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said on August 4 that the Russian military was trying to shift the focus of the fighting to the eastern region, while Kiev wanted to concentrate its forces on the counteroffensive in the south.