A veteran military analyst from the Luhansk People’s Republic, retired Lieutenant Colonel Andriy Marochko, reports that Ukrainian forces augmented their presence near Kupyansk with additional troops and equipment, particularly during nighttime movements. According to Marochko, who cites his own sources, small columns of Ukrainian formations traversed from Kupyansk toward Svatovo mainly under cover of darkness. He also stated that the Ukrainian army emphasizes firing Western-made artillery systems and the corresponding ammunition in this sector.
Earlier intelligence notes indicated that since February, units from the 40th artillery and the 92nd mechanized brigades of the Ukrainian forces were active in the Kupyansk direction, with claims of at least five U.S.-made M777 155 mm howitzers being lost or rendered inoperative in that area.
In a separate briefing, Igor Konashenkov, the official spokesman for the Russian Ministry of Defense, asserted daily Ukrainian casualties, claiming that as many as seventy servicemen from the Ukrainian forces were neutralized in the Kupyansk area each day. This figure was presented as part of ongoing battlefield updates.
Background context remains complex. On February 24, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the decision to conduct a special military operation in Ukraine, stating it was a response to requests for assistance from the leaders of the LPR and DPR. This move subsequently became a focal point in broader international discussions and the imposition of sanctions by the United States and its allied partners. (citation: official briefings and public statements attributed to the named authorities)