Assault on Kupyansk puts pressure on Ukraine's north-east

Russian forces - some in disguise - attack in four waves, but are repelled from city

- 

KYIV - A Russian assault group briefly broke through to the outskirts of Ukraine's north-eastern city of Kupyansk for the first time since Moscow's forces fled in September 2022, Ukrainian officials said, in a sign of mounting pressure on the outpost.

Moscow's forces - including soldiers disguised as Ukrainian troops - attacked in four waves on Nov 13, but were repelled from the city, an important railway hub with a pre-war population of 26,000, Ukraine's general staff said.

"They partially entered the suburbs, the industrial zone, and were destroyed by our troops.. There were assault actions using heavy armoured vehicles, there were attempts to bring in infantry," the city's military administration chief said.

The city, now just 2.5km from the front line, was under constant shelling and the population has dwindled to 3,000 people, who were being urged to evacuate, the official, Mr Andriy Besedin, told Reuters by phone.

Kupyansk was captured by Russian forces in the early days of its February 2022 invasion and then retaken by Ukraine in a counteroffensive months later.