The battle for Kupiansk—the strategic railway hub of the Kharkiv region—has reached a violent and decisive turning point. On January 19, 2026, National Guard Commander Oleksandr Pivnenko confirmed that the Khartiia search-and-strike group now holds full control over the city’s heart. In a lightning-fast operation that bypassed months of Russian propaganda, Ukrainian assault teams stormed the City Council building, flushing out occupiers and ending Moscow’s “alternate reality” narrative that the city had already fallen.
This wasn’t just a firefight; it was a tactical surgical strike. Using what commanders call the “Khartiia Method”—a blend of precision artillery, real-time drone coordination, and aggressive infantry pushes—Ukraine has managed to turn the tables on Russian units that had previously infiltrated the left bank. Now, those same Russian soldiers find themselves encircled, with their only supply lines being “drone-delivered” crumbs as the Ukrainian military tightens the noose.
The Controversy Everyone Is Ignoring
While the Kremlin has spent weeks briefing Vladimir Putin on the “complete capture” of Kupiansk, the reality on the ground is a humiliating disaster for Russian intelligence. To maintain the illusion of control, Russian commanders reportedly ordered their men to stay in the city even after they were surrounded. The result? Between 25 and 90 Russian soldiers are currently hiding in basements and ruins, cut off from ground logistics and facing a “suicide or surrender” ultimatum. The Russian “victory” in Kupiansk was a ghost story told to keep morale alive in Moscow while their troops were actually dying in abandoned gas pipelines and urban traps.
Background & Context
Kupiansk has been the focal point of a massive Russian winter offensive. Throughout December and early January, the Russian army attempted a “covert” infiltration through the Soyuz gas pipeline, hoping to emerge behind Ukrainian lines. The 7th Rapid Response Corps thwarted that desperate gamble, eliminating 40 soldiers in a single tunnel ambush. Since then, the battle has moved to the Oskil River, where Russia is desperately trying to cross the ice to reinforce their collapsing garrison. Despite these attempts, the Ukrainian 2nd Corps has successfully “unblocked” the city, turning the Russian offensive into a defensive meat grinder.
The Cold Hard Truth from the Insiders
Law enforcement and military insiders describe the current situation in the city center as a “high-speed drone duel.” Russian FPV drones are being used with suicidal frequency to stop the clearing operations, but Ukrainian defenders are reacting with “diamond-level determination.” As Viktor Trehubov, head of communications for the Joint Forces Group, noted, the complete clearing of the city will take “several more weeks” because the Russians have turned residential buildings into fortified bunkers. This isn’t just a battle for territory; it’s a systematic eradication of the last Russian foothold on the left bank.
