A City's Slow Demise: The Devastating Impact of War on Kupiansk
In the heart of Ukraine's frontline, a city once vibrant and bustling now lies in ruins, a stark reminder of the relentless grip of war. Lyubov Lobunets, a 77-year-old resident, recounts her harrowing escape from Kupiansk, a city that has become a metaphor for the tragic fate of Ukraine's frontline cities.
'There is no life': A City's Slow Demise
Lobunets, speaking from a displacement center in Kharkiv, describes the moment her five-story building caught fire, leaving her trapped. "I was stuck, the door damaged, and flames licking at my floor. It was a Russian missile or bomb, I believe," she says, her voice filled with emotion.
The Ukrainian military saved her life, but by then, Kupiansk, once home to 27,000 people, was already emptying out. "In the months leading up to my departure, life was already difficult. Shops were closing, and social services were evacuating. It was a slow death for the city," she explains.
The Metaphor of Kupiansk's Fate
Kupiansk, located on the Oskil River in the northern Kharkiv region, has drawn less attention compared to the Donbas region further south. Yet, its slow demise over two years mirrors the fate of cities ground between the teeth of Russia's violent, slow-moving advance.
The small city center market, once bustling with dried fish, honey, and vegetables, is now gone. Homes on the hillside lie in ruins, shelled and destroyed. The fields bordering the river are scarred with craters.
The Reluctance to Evacuate
Lobunets shares her reluctance to leave, a sentiment shared by many. "I worked as a nurse, and my pension is small. I was afraid of the unknown, of how I'd manage," she says, highlighting the difficult choices faced by residents.
Even as street fighting encroached on the city's outskirts, some friends remained, despite a compulsory evacuation order. Most who stayed clustered near the sports stadium in the city center.
The Battle for Kupiansk
Russian forces occupied Kupiansk in the early months of the full-scale invasion but were liberated in September 2022. However, the devastation intensified as Moscow sought to recapture the city, subjecting it to aerial and artillery bombardment.
Today, Kupiansk is a city of ruins. There are no undamaged buildings, and essential services are non-existent. "According to our information, there are just over 600 people on the west side of the Oskil River. Evacuations happen daily, and the zone has expanded due to Russian units on the right bank," says Andrii Besedin, Kupiansk's mayor, now based in Kharkiv.
A City of Heroes, a Brutal Battle
Once declared a "city of heroes" by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Russian attack and Ukrainian defense of Kupiansk have been fierce and brutal. Russian forces, struggling to cross the Oskil River, have resorted to crawling through disused gas pipes, a meter in diameter, to reach the western bank, according to Ukrainian forces.
On the Ukrainian side, brigades have adopted a unique tactic, using razor-sharp nets dropped from Vampire hexacopter drones to entangle Russian infantry and vehicles. The widespread use of drones has made movement perilous, especially for vehicles, on both sides.
The Perilous Fight for Kupiansk
In his command bunker, Captain "Caesar" and his soldiers of the 15th brigade, fighting north of the city, scan live drone footage for Russian activity. They identify a potential Russian position hidden in a dense area of scrub and fallen birch trees.
"We've taken positions that the previous brigade lost. We've had small successes pushing back, but the Russians keep trying. They use the gas pipes to cross the river, and we control all the exits. We sink their vehicles each time they try to bridge," Caesar explains.
The Russian tactic involves bringing small infantry groups across to areas of dense woodland cover, where they rendezvous and assemble. "We know they're trying to gather here, opposite our sector. At least a hundred in this wood, out of 5,000 in all directions. But they keep bringing in replacements," Caesar says, pointing to a large wooded area on a tablet.
Some of these soldiers are believed to be from Cuba, referred to as "Ethiopians" in Russian intercepts, a racist slur from a well-known Russian crime film.
A War with No End in Sight
Caesar, whose brigade has fought in Zaporizhia and the Donbas, sees no end to this war. "After our counter-offensive failed in 2023, it became clear this war was going nowhere. Our job now is to protect at all times. If we lose Kupiansk, it would be a strategic failure, a logistics and railway hub. It could be a turning point," he says.
"The high ground around Kupiansk gives us an advantage, but they keep trying because their soldiers are more frightened of their side than of us. We've used nets, known as MZP, to trap them. We caught a Russian motorcyclist in one, and he was tangled in the trap," Caesar adds, showing a video.
Mayor Besedin, reflecting on his home city, says, "There is no activity, no life in Kupiansk. It's almost destroyed. At least 10,000 people have moved to Kharkiv. The spirit of our lives and the city is here now. We wait for victory."
And this is the part most people miss: the devastating impact of war on cities like Kupiansk, where life slowly fades away, leaving behind a shell of what once was.
What are your thoughts on the situation in Kupiansk? Do you think the war will ever come to an end? Share your opinions in the comments below!
