Russian Forces Capture Illinka and Enter Kupiansk Amid Increased Fighting in Eastern Ukraine

The DeepState analytical project reported on the night of 13-14 November that Russian forces made significant advances in eastern Ukraine, capturing Illinka in Donetsk Oblast and entering Kupiansk in Kharkiv Oblast. According to the update, Russian troops also made progress in Dalnie, near Novodonetske, Trudove, and Kupiansk.

Russian convoys of military equipment advanced from the area of Lyman Pershyi toward Kupiansk, heading down the road to Svatove. One of the convoys included two MT-LB armoured fighting vehicles, an infantry fighting vehicle, and a tank, while the second convoy's composition remains unclear as it moved after dark. Ukrainian forces, aided by UAV units from the 116th and 14th Mechanised Brigades, managed to kill some of the enemy airborne troops. However, Russian forces attempted to send reinforcements upon realizing their initial success, which led to further clashes.

DeepState noted that the front lines in the area have become increasingly unclear, with both Ukrainian and Russian units scattered throughout forests, making the fighting “strange.” They called for an investigation by the State Bureau of Investigation and the Security Service of Ukraine into the conduct of the 11th Mechanised Brigade, particularly in this section of the front.

Earlier, Russian troops launched an assault on the Kupiansk front, attempting to break through Ukrainian defensive lines. In total, Russia deployed around 15 pieces of equipment, including tanks, armoured vehicles, and a mine-clearing system. The attack was repelled by Ukrainian forces, who destroyed all of the Russian armoured vehicles and inflicted significant losses on their personnel. Some Russian soldiers, reportedly disguised in Ukrainian military uniforms, participated in the attack, which Ukraine’s General Staff labelled as a potential war crime.

Kupiansk had been occupied by Russian troops in the early days of their invasion in February 2022, but was recaptured by Ukraine later that year during a successful counter-offensive. Recently, Russian activity in the area has increased, and Ukrainian forces reported repelling multiple waves of attack.

Meanwhile, heavy fighting continues further south near Pokrovsk, with Ukrainian forces successfully repelling 35 out of 36 Russian attacks. In Donetsk, a Russian strike killed two residents in the village of Shevchenko, located west of the city of Donetsk, which remains under Russian occupation.