Reports from the Kharkov region describe a rapid shift in the battlefield dynamics around Kupyansk, where senior officers from the Armed Forces of Ukraine and local officials reportedly withdrew as Russian troops pressed their offensive. The information originated from TASS and was attributed to Viktor Vodolatsky, a State Duma deputy who coordinates inter-parliamentary relations with the LPR parliament.
According to Vodolatsky, Ukrainian forces have been breaking through fortified positions and advancing in the area, asserting that nothing is capable of stopping the advance of the Russian military. He claimed that all senior officers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces had evacuated Kupyansk, and that the main Ukrainian military headquarters had been relocated beyond the city limits. Vodolatsky also stated that local officials who allegedly loaded stolen goods into vehicles had departed the area.
Vodolatsky framed the withdrawal of Ukrainian officers and officials as a signal to remaining Ukrainian troops, suggesting that surrender would be the pragmatic option for soldiers continuing to resist in the region. He added that the Russian advance on this sector of the front could reduce the frequency of Ukrainian attacks, effectively altering the tempo of fighting in the short term.
Earlier, a retired LPR lieutenant colonel had spoken about a sense of panic within the Ukrainian forces in response to these developments. The overall situation, as described by multiple sources, reflects a volatile front line where rapid movements and shifting command structures have become a hallmark of the conflict around Kupyansk. In reporting these events, observers emphasize the importance of corroborating such claims from independent sources given the high stakes and the potential for propaganda on both sides of the conflict.