For the first time in a while, Russian forces launched a mechanised assault on Kupiansk in Kharkiv Oblast on Saturday 16 August, deploying armoured vehicles from the left bank of the Oskil River, but Ukrainian troops successfully repelled the attack.

Source:429th Drone Regiment Achilles 

Details:A convoy of two tanks, three MT-LB armoured fighting vehicles and around 40 Russian personnel advanced towards the left-bank area of Kupiansk.

The attack was repelled and the armoured vehicles were destroyed thanks to the coordinated and timely actions of the 429th Achilles Drone Regiment, 116th Separate Mechanised Brigade and 15th Operational Assignment Kara Dag Brigade.

The Achilles Regiment destroyed one tank and two MT-LB armoured fighting vehicles at the entrance to Lyman Pershyi, while also damaging another MT-LB.

Quote from Anton Shmahailo, commander of the 1st battalion of Achilles Drone Regiment:"Over the past two months, the enemy has been trying to infiltrate the defence forces' combat formations into the rear every day. Achieving significant gains with such tactics demands considerable time and manpower. Therefore, the enemy decided to carry out a local blitzkrieg, hoping that no one would expect an armoured assault."

Background:In late 2024, Shmahailo reported that Russian forces had been ordered to capture Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi before the New Year. On 3 and 4 January, the Achilles troops repelled a Russian attack involving 20 armoured vehicles near the village of Zahryzove on the Kupiansk front.

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