Overview
- Kharkiv governor Oleh Synjehubov said 409 families, including 601 children, must leave communities near the front after the evacuation list grew from 27 to 40 localities.
- The Institute for the Study of War reported sustained Russian assaults from multiple directions aimed at encircling Kupyansk, with no confirmed advances on Tuesday and Ukrainian defenses holding.
- Kupyansk is a critical transport junction on the Oskil River, which has served as a natural barrier slowing offensive movements.
- The city was captured by Russian forces early in 2022 and retaken by Ukraine later that year, underscoring its recurring strategic value.
- In a separate development in Kherson region, WHO reported drones hit a UN-marked convoy, damaging two World Food Programme trucks without causing injuries.