- Category
- Latest news
Russian Troops Suffer Massive Losses on Kupyansk Front Amid Poor Training and Supply Issues, ISW Reports
- Authors
![Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko]( "Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko")
Russian troops on the Kupyansk axis are likely suffering ten times more losses than Ukrainian defenders. Commanders note that enemy soldiers are poorly trained, undersupplied, and lack basic necessities such as food and water, Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported on September 17.
According to ISW, Russian forces continued offensive operations in northern Sumy region but made no progress. A Russian milblogger linked to Moscow’s Northern Grouping claimed that Ukrainian units had effectively encircled Russian troops in Oleksiivka.
Russian troops also pressed attacks in northern Kharkiv region but again failed to achieve confirmed gains. According to a Ukrainian drone battalion commander operating in the area, Russian sabotage and reconnaissance groups are attempting to cross rivers by swimming and establish positions in forested terrain.
He added that armored vehicles are used only for indirect fire, and predicted that Russian tactics will shift as colder weather sets in, reducing mobility and limiting the use of motorcycles.
On the Vovchansk axis, a spokesman for Ukraine’s border guard brigade said Russian units are moving in small groups of two to three soldiers to assembly points before launching larger assaults on Ukrainian positions, as reported by ISW.
The Kupyansk front remains one of the most active. On September 17, Russian forces continued offensive operations but without confirmed advances. Ukrainian commanders emphasize that the cost to the enemy is extremely high, with casualties estimated at up to ten times greater than Ukrainian losses. Russian assaults are carried out by small infantry groups with inadequate training, rations, and supplies.
According to ISW, similar failures were recorded on the Borove, Lyman, and Siversk directions, where Russian troops were unable to move forward. In contrast, Ukrainian forces recently achieved tactical gains on the Kostyantynivka–Druzhkivka axis.
In the Toretsk sector, a spokesman for a Ukrainian brigade said Russian troops are probing defenses with one- or two-man fire teams, attempting to infiltrate positions—a tactic first seen in Sumy region. He noted that Russia is trying to sever Ukrainian ground lines of communication while intensifying the use of drones. FPV drones are being deployed against rear positions, while longer-range systems such as Zala and Lancet are striking targets deeper behind the front.
On the Pokrovsk axis, Russian forces have made localized advances. Geolocated footage published on September 17 indicates they recently captured Troyanda, south of Pokrovsk, as well as the southern part of the city itself.
In Zaporizhzhia, Russian units continued offensive operations. No progress was confirmed in the east of the region, though advances were recorded in the west, ISW reported.
Meanwhile, on the Kherson front, Russian forces carried out limited assaults but failed to secure gains. On September 16 and 17, they attacked positions east of Kherson near key railway and road bridges, without success.
Earlier, Russia’s top general claimed that Moscow’s troops are advancing along nearly every sector of the front, while Kyiv reports that Ukrainian defenders are holding firm and in some areas regaining positions. The conflicting accounts highlight the fog of war surrounding the intense fighting in eastern Ukraine.
