Fake Kupiansk: Russian Troops Misrepresent Rear Village as Captured City

Russian troops recorded a video in a rear-area village and falsely claimed it was filmed in the city of Kupiansk.

OSINT analyst Bielitz debunked the disinformation and identified the location that Russian forces attempted to present as Kupiansk.

The footage was actually filmed in the village of Tavilzhanka, located about 20 kilometers from the city.

The footage captures a Russian invader calmly walking through the streets of a village that had previously appeared in another video, where it was explicitly stated to be Tavilzhanka.

The analyst also identified the exact street using satellite imagery.

Previously, Russia’s Minister of Defense, Andrey Belousov, had reported to Vladimir Putin that Kupiansk was allegedly under the Russian military’s control.

Following this, Russian propaganda intensified the spread of disinformation, claiming that Kupiansk is allegedly not under the control of Ukrainian forces.

Previously, the Ukrainian Defense Forces carried out a successful counterattack and encircled the remaining Russian occupiers in Kupiansk.

At present, isolated Russian troops are present in the city, making some areas contested. However, such positions, often just a few infantrymen hiding in basements, do not constitute control over the city.

The counterattack by the Ukrainian Defense Forces cut off most access routes to Kupiansk from the northern direction.

At this stage of the war, infantry positions are often not fully developed as firing or observation posts.

The main task of such units is to remain undetected and survive. Once discovered, they are attacked by dozens of drones and artillery.