Ukraine retakes railway hub as Kharkiv counteroffensive gains ground
Ukrainian officials on Saturday shared photos appearing to indicate that Ukraine had retaken the northeastern railway hub of Kupiansk, potentially trapping thousands of Russian troops, Reuters reported.
"Kupiansk is Ukraine. Glory to the armed forces of Ukraine," Ukrainian regional official Natalia Popova wrote on Facebook.
This announcement comes as a Ukrainian counteroffensive continues to make gains near Kharkiv, according to NBC News. Kharkiv, located about 75 miles from Kupiansk, is Ukraine's second-largest city and has been under threat since the early days of the war.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"As of now, the armed forces liberated and took control of more than 30 settlements in the Kharkiv region," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday night.
The U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War estimated Saturday that Ukrainian forces had recaptured around 1,000 square miles of Russian-held territory. Based on "the influx of observed pictures of Russian prisoners of war," the ISW assessed that "Ukrainian forces are likely clearing pockets of disorganized Russian forces caught in the rapid Ukrainian advance."
Reuters suggested that the "collapse in Russia's frontline" is in danger of "turn[ing] into a rout."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Grayson Quay was the weekend editor at TheWeek.com. His writing has also been published in National Review, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Modern Age, The American Conservative, The Spectator World, and other outlets. Grayson earned his M.A. from Georgetown University in 2019.
-
Australia’s teen social media ban takes effectSpeed Read Kids under age 16 are now barred from platforms including YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and Reddit
-
Judge orders release of Ghislaine Maxwell recordsSpeed Read The grand jury records from the 2019 prosecution of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein will be made public
-
Miami elects first Democratic mayor in 28 yearsSpeed Read Eileen Higgins, Miami’s first woman mayor, focused on affordability and Trump’s immigration crackdown in her campaign
-
Did Trump just end the US-Europe alliance?Today's Big Question New US national security policy drops ‘grenade’ on Europe and should serve as ‘the mother of all wake-up calls’
-
Is conscription the answer to Europe’s security woes?Today's Big Question How best to boost troop numbers to deal with Russian threat is ‘prompting fierce and soul-searching debates’
-
Trump peace deal: an offer Zelenskyy can’t refuse?Today’s Big Question ‘Unpalatable’ US plan may strengthen embattled Ukrainian president at home
-
Vladimir Putin’s ‘nuclear tsunami’ missileThe Explainer Russian president has boasted that there is no way to intercept the new weapon
-
The Baltic ‘bog belt’ plan to protect Europe from RussiaUnder the Radar Reviving lost wetland on Nato’s eastern flank would fuse ‘two European priorities that increasingly compete for attention and funding: defence and climate’
-
How should Nato respond to Putin’s incursions?Today’s big question Russia has breached Nato airspace regularly this month, and nations are primed to respond
-
Russia’s war games and the threat to NatoIn depth Incursion into Poland and Zapad 2025 exercises seen as a test for Europe
-
What will bring Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table?Today’s Big Question With diplomatic efforts stalling, the US and EU turn again to sanctions as Russian drone strikes on Poland risk dramatically escalating conflict
