Chief of the Russian General Staff Valery Gerasimov has announced that Units of Russia’s Battlegroup West have taken control of the city of Kupyansk-Uzlovoi.
Speaking after an inspection trip to the area of operations of Battlegroup West on January 27, Gerasimov said that up to 800 Ukrainian troops remain blocked in an area near Kupyansk in the Kharkiv Region, where fighting is still ongoing.
He announced that Russian forces are continuing offensive operations across all sectors of the front line.
According to him, Russian troops have liberated 17 communities and taken control of more than 500 square kilometres of territory during the special military operation in Ukraine since early January.
“Our troops have liberated 17 communities and gained control of over 500 sq. km of territory since early January. The Battlegroup North is conducting combat operations to expand the security zone of the borderline areas of the Sumy and Kharkov Regions,” Gerasimov said.
He added that Russia’s Battlegroup North had expanded its operations over the past month.
“Battlegroup North forces are conducting combat operations to expand the security zone of the borderline areas of the Sumy and Kharkov Regions. During the month, they liberated four settlements, including Siminovka and Staritsy over the past week.”
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He said Russian troops are advancing in the Rubtsy and Krasny Liman directions in the Donetsk Region and are concluding combat operations to liberate the settlements of Drobyshevo, Yarovaya, and Sosnovoye.
According to the Chief of General Staff, encircled Ukrainian armed formations are being destroyed on the eastern bank of the Oskol River.
He further stated that Russian forces are engaged in street battles to liberate Krasny Liman and Ilyichevka and are continuing operations against Ukrainian units in the Holy Mountains National Park.
Regarding the actions of different military groups, Gerasimov said that Russia’s Battlegroup North has liberated four communities over the past month in order to expand the security zone.
He said Battlegroup South is actively advancing westward toward Slavyansk and has taken control of the settlements of Bondarnoye, Zakotnoye, and Privolnoye, adding that Russian troops were also advancing in southern Ukraine.
“The Battlegroup East is advancing in the eastern part of the Zaporozhye Region and some of its forces are conducting combat operations to create a security zone on the territory of the Dnepropetrovsk Region. In January, our troops gained control of four settlements,” Gerasimov added.
Gerasimov also said that forward units of Battlegroup Dnepr are now 12 to 14 kilometers from the southern and southeastern outskirts of the city of Zaporozhye and have taken control of four settlements since January.
He concluded by saying that Battlegroup West forces have liberated Kupyansk-Uzlovoi, are engaged in street battles in Kutkovka, and are advancing toward Kovalevka.
Fighting and diplomacy
The developments come amid continued fighting across Ukraine on Tuesday, January 27. At least two people were injured after Russian forces launched a drone and missile attack on Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, according to Mayor Ihor Terekhov.
The attack damaged apartment buildings, a school, and a kindergarten, while leaving about 80 percent of the city and surrounding regions without power, Regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov said.
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Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts are continuing alongside the fighting. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said talks between Ukrainian and Russian negotiators are expected to resume on February 1 and urged Ukraine’s allies not to ease pressure on Moscow ahead of the discussions.
He said military issues dominated recent U.S.-brokered trilateral talks with Russia in Abu Dhabi, although political matters were also discussed.
The Kremlin said the Abu Dhabi talks were held in a “constructive spirit” but acknowledged that significant differences remain.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said territorial issues remained fundamental for Moscow, which has insisted that any settlement must include Russian control over Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul criticized what he described as Russia’s continued insistence on territorial demands following the talks.
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