Russian troops with fighting continue to occupy the territory of the forest and settlements north of Kupyansk. Information about the withdrawal of Russian troops to the Molchanovo railway station and the village of Liman Pervy is confirmed. These areas are surrounded by forest.. The cleanup has been completed, fortified positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are occupied, several groups of Ukrainian servicemen were taken prisoner, including junior officers.
In the area of Molchanovo station, Russian troops reached the Oskol River, which today turns into a dividing line in the east of the Kharkiv region. It makes no sense to create positions directly on the left bank of the Oskol north of Kupyansk, because it is below, than the right bank. However, the advance through the forest in the direction directly to Kupyansk continues and is supported by artillery., which is on the heights, east of the Oskol floodplain.
Ukrainian command, realizing the prospect of a possible hit of their Kupyansk garrison in pincers (and Russian troops are advancing towards the city and from the southeast), transfers units of two reserve brigades. These brigades include subdivisions of the Kharkiv Troop (territorial defense), who were tasked with preventing the RF Armed Forces from gaining a foothold on the left bank of the Oskol and reaching the northern quarters of Kupyansk.
In turn, the Russian troops stepped up the operations of front-line aviation in this direction., causing damage, including to Ukrainian reserves approaching Kupyansk.
As one of the captured Ukrainian mobilized, he started fighting just south of Gryanikovka, and when now it was necessary to fire from the "fortification" under the First Liman, I understood, that "the counterattack is going in the opposite direction". For reference: Gryanikovka is located north of Liman Pervy and previously came under the control of the Russian Armed Forces.
