Russia said on Saturday that its armed forces still hold control of the strategic city of Kupyansk in the Kharkiv region, but the claim was denied by the Ukrainian side. The Russian Ministry of Defense said in Saturday's report that Kupyansk is now under the control of its western group army.
Russian forces are also searching for Ukrainian soldiers hiding in various buildings and basements in Kupyansk, according to the report.
However, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine responded on the same day that the Ukrainian side still controls some of the residential areas in Kupyansk, and they have managed to besiege some of Russia's remnant troops. The battle in the urban area is still going on, it said.
Located by the river of Oskil, Kupyansk is an important stronghold for the Ukrainian forces as all supply lines of the Ukrainian army on the left bank of the Oskil River pass through the city.
Russian media believed that getting hold of Kupyansk allows Russian forces to continue advancing westward and open up a direct route from the south to Vovchansk.
Russia claims holding Kupyansk while Ukraine denies it
President Vladimir Putin said at a briefing on Saturday that Russian forces had taken control of Hulyaipole, the second largest city in southeast Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region.
According to the briefing, Russian troops also controlled Stepnohirsk in the Zaporizhzhia region and captured Dimitrov (known as Myrnohrad in Ukraine), Rodynske, and Artyomovka in the Donetsk region.
Putin said the takeover of Hulyaipole creates favorable conditions for Russian forces to continue their advance deeper into the Zaporizhzhia region while the capture of Dimitrov was a significant step towards the full seizure of the entire Donetsk region.
The Russian president said the Russian army is fully capable of resolving the issue militarily.
He also said that Russia is trying to end the conflict, but Ukraine is not in a hurry to resolve the conflict peacefully although the West has advised Ukraine to accept a solution.
Ukraine has not yet responded to Russia's statement.
Hulyaipole is located in a strategically important area in southeastern Ukraine, 98 kilometers from the regional capital, Zaporizhzhia.
Russia claims control of Zaporizhzhia's second largest city
