Ruh, the Ukra front line continues to advance...Battle of Kharkiv key points

Russian forces are gathering outside Kupyansk, a key area in the northeastern Ukrainian state of Kharkiv, fighting Ukrainian forces, Russian media reported.

Russian-backed Kharkiv chief Vitaly Ganchev told the state-run TAS news agency that "we continue to work to build positions outside Kupyansk" and that attacks continue in the northeast and southeast of the region.

Russian military expert Andrey Marochko told the Tas news agency that Russian forces had advanced along the railway near Kupyansk and entered the outskirts of the region and confirmed that there had been quite a fierce gunfight.

Marochko added that Russian forces from various units were fighting outside Kupyansk.

Kupyansk, in eastern Kharkiv, is considered a key point to prevent Russia from advancing to the West.

Kupyansk fell to Russian forces in the early days of Russia's "special military operation" in Ukraine in February 2022 and was restored by Ukrainian forces in September of that year, but has been under attack by Russian forces ever since.