Ukrainian forces reclaim key northern region city of Kupiansk, challenge Russian narratives, and strike Black Sea assets in ongoing conflict.
Ukrainian forces have regained significant control of Kupiansk in the northern Kharkiv region, undermining Moscow’s claims of victory and highlighting a growing disconnect between Russian statements and battlefield realities.
After isolating Russian troops in the city, Ukrainian forces steadily pushed through Kupiansk, reclaiming southern suburbs including Yuvileynyi by mid-December. Geolocated footage confirmed the advance, while the Russian Ministry of Defense insisted it maintained control over all districts. Independent analysts, however, report that most of the city now lies under Ukrainian authority, with Russian forces confined to northern and western fringes.
Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskii, Ukraine’s army commander-in-chief, told allies during a Ramstein-format meeting that Kyiv had retaken roughly 90% of Kupiansk. In contrast, Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov claimed Russian troops were successfully repelling Ukrainian attempts to regain the city.
The clash of narratives extends beyond Kupiansk. Russia maintains it has captured the eastern city of Pokrovsk (Krasnoarmeysk) and is nearing control of Myrnohrad (Dimitrov). Ukrainian reports indicate otherwise, with Kyiv regaining 16 square kilometers in northern Pokrovsk and 56 square kilometers west of the city, complicating Moscow’s claims of full dominance.
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The war of information also reached the Black Sea. Ukraine employed an underwater unmanned vehicle to strike a Kilo-class Russian submarine in Novorossiysk on December 15, marking the first confirmed use of such technology in military history. While Russia denied any damage, footage of the fleet shows a massive explosion at the submarine’s stern. Kyiv’s State Security Service claimed responsibility for the operation.
Ukraine’s long-range strikes have targeted other strategic assets, including oil refineries in Yaroslavl and Krasnodar Krai, as well as the Uryupinsk depot in Volgograd and the Dorogobuzhskaya power plant in Smolensk. Russian officials have largely remained silent on these attacks.
Meanwhile, Moscow signals no intent to halt military operations despite ongoing peace discussions in Berlin. President Vladimir Putin and senior officials have stressed the continuation of offensive operations in Ukraine, framing the conflict as essential to reclaiming “historical lands” and countering Western influence.
Russian recruitment figures suggest a potential manpower shortfall. Official reports claim nearly 410,000 volunteers joined the armed forces in 2025, yet think tanks indicate Russian losses may exceed replenishment, with Ukraine reporting approximately 34,600 Russian casualties per month. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that most casualties represent deaths, supported by drone footage from the front lines.
As Ukrainian forces continue to press their gains in Kupiansk and beyond, Moscow’s narrative of inevitable victory faces mounting scrutiny both domestically and internationally, exposing vulnerabilities in Russia’s military claims.
