Ukrainian Defector Leads Bloody Russian Assault on Kupiansk as City Teeters Under Siege

In the shattered northeastern city of Kupiansk, Ukrainian troops are holding their lines against relentless Russian assaults led by Lt. Gen. Sergei Storozhenko — a former Ukrainian officer turned Kremlin commander.

Storozhenko, now leading Russia’s 6th Combined Arms Army, grew up just two hours from the city he is now attempting to recapture. Once decorated for his service in Ukraine, he defected to Russia during the 2014 annexation of Crimea and has since risen steadily through Moscow’s ranks.

His mission is to seize Kupiansk, a key logistical hub liberated by Ukraine in 2022. Control of the city would open a path toward Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, and threaten critical supply lines. Yet despite massive losses — Ukrainian analysts estimate as many as 13,000 Russian soldiers have died in the effort — Moscow has made little progress.

Russian troops now hold Kupiansk’s northern districts, while Ukraine retains control of the east and south. Fighting is close-quarters and constant, with both sides relying on drones, artillery, and sabotage teams. Ukrainian commanders describe the Russian strategy as a slow, grinding push “building by building,” sacrificing waves of infantry to wear down defenders.

Reports from the ground describe dire conditions for the 500 civilians still trapped amid the ruins. The city has no power, water, or heat, and civilians risk death from shelling or drone strikes if they attempt to flee. “There are more FPV drones in the sky than birds,” said Yevhen Kolyada of the Relief Coordination Centre in Kharkiv.

Refugees recount a city transformed into rubble and fear. “Fear becomes like another neighbor,” said Ivan Ostapchuk, a displaced resident. “Always around, even when it’s quiet.”

Ukrainian intelligence continues to intercept Russian communications allegedly ordering soldiers to shoot civilians — evidence Kyiv says proves Moscow’s “strategy of terror.”

While Russian state media claims Ukrainian forces are encircled, military analysts say that is far from reality. Ukraine maintains defensive positions and continues to repel assaults, though the pressure is mounting.

Analysts warn that Kupiansk’s fate may depend on developments further south in Pokrovsk, where Russia is also intensifying attacks. If Pokrovsk falls, Russian troops could be redeployed north, threatening Kupiansk anew.

For now, Ukraine’s defenders remain defiant. “Everyone in Kupiansk knows who they are fighting,” said Maj. Viktor Tregubov, a Ukrainian spokesman. “What was a shock ten years ago is old news now. All traitors will be brought to justice.”