Inside Kupayansk Welcome a long baluster cross inside checkpoint few kilometers from the city. His humble face, made of wood chipped by the icy wind, is not among the world’s countless war artifacts. checkpoint. But it is also an indication that things are not going well at all as of now. The Ukrainian soldier quickly controls the car and lets it pass even faster. There is neither time nor desire for more.
Today the gunner spat it has been searching for its victims without rest since the early and eruptions. So the road should be free and the traffic is the cars escaping. huge potholes and collapsed bridges. Because Kupayanska city at the eastern end of the district Kharkovright now the fiercest front from this part of eastern Ukraine. since february, Russiansin some parts of the city less than five kilometersthey are shooting with increasing intensity from nearby occupied towns and the bordering Lugansk region.
whose city pre-war population was around 26,000 Its residents are now home to several hundred people wandering or driving down the streets with plastic bags in their hands. almost deserted neighborhoods in as much cold blood as possible. From the top of the hill, the town hall is pierced like an Emmental cheese and still has no windows to call it, it appears in the totality of its destruction. On the ground, snow and mud mix and drip from the holes created by the explosions. Far but not that far a gray smoke say what another bullet hit the target. Inside central market The gray sky mingles with the rubble dust. There’s not much left standing.
strategic path
Many citizens were evacuated Days ago, regional authorities in Kupiansk and nearby towns ordered the separation of the most vulnerable and their families. The reason is unclear. Some Ukrainian soldiers, Kyiv troops hard fire on russian troops without fear of casualties among civilians. Others admit worse scenarios: this city was taken back in september there is no time to get busy again, to evacuate those who did not want to leave before. And one who is getting used to the idea of a new invasion and they are waiting for others.
The outcome is also uncertain because the success of the Ukrainian artillery and infantry here depends on: secret army positions It is accessible to the Western press, not only provided their exact locations are not disclosed, but provided that all security measures are taken at the maximum level. Many soldiers here are not rookies; they started fighting nine years ago Conflict broke out in Donbass. Others defended the city of Kharkov last year and now They spend up to five months in these areasThey say that he has improved the ability to cope with Russian attacks.
“Before, We countered 30 shots with one shot, but that is no longer the case. “Of course they (Russians) dig trenches very quickly, create many defensive lines and have many soldiers,” says Igor, the tank commander of the 92nd Brigade of the Ukrainian Army. “Recapture Kupiansk, strengthen themselves, and be sure of the position. The road to Lugansk passes through here, and if they manage to occupy it, it will be a significant achievement for them,” he said.
evacuations
local volunteer networksself-generated and self-organizing, they do their best. But the situation is so serious that the military governor of the Kharkiv region, Oleg Sinegybov, has for days ordered the evacuation of civilians from the most affected areas. “Concerning the evacuation of the Kupiansk front, which is currently the hottest: this is where the front line is located, and the Russian forces are trying to relentlessly attack our positions. That’s why we have declared a forced evacuation and we explain it to you. To the inhabitants,” the official said.
The operation is not that simple because roads of the surrounding towns rather than the houses. destroyed by mortars, missiles, the passage of armored vehicles, and huge puddles of melted snow, And some don’t want to leave. Despite this, posters with phone numbers you can call to request evacuation were hung all over the area. Zhytomir, a city in western Ukraine, has already offered to take about 500 families there, Ukrainian media reported.
Meanwhile, conflicts continue. on Saturday, the president himself Volodymyr Zelensky He showed the Kharkiv region as one of the places where he lived. “brutal” attacks, “every day, every night”. On Tuesday, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Army reported that Russian forces continued to attack Kupyansk and Liman in an attempt to prevent the transfer of troops from Kiev to other regions. Russian soldiers also tried Break through the Ukrainian defense linesAccording to Ukrainian sources, it has not been successful so far.