Kupiansk or Kupyansk (Ukrainian: Куп'янськ, IPA: [ˈkupjɐnʲsʲk]; Russian: Купянск, IPA: [ˈkupʲɪnsk]) is a city in Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine. It serves as the administrative center of Kupiansk Raion. It is also an important railroad junction for the oblast. Kupiansk hosts the administration of Kupiansk urban hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine.[1] It had a population of 26,627 (2022 estimate).[2] In February 2024, more than 3,500 people remain in Kupyansk.[3]

Kupiansk
Куп'янськ
Kupyansk
town
Flag of Kupiansk
Coat of arms of Kupiansk
Kupiansk is located in Ukraine
Kupiansk
Kupiansk
Kupiansk is located in Kharkiv Oblast
Kupiansk
Kupiansk
Coordinates: 49°43′N 37°35′E / 49.717°N 37.583°E / 49.717; 37.583
CountryUkraine
OblastKharkiv Oblast
RaionKupiansk Raion
HromadaKupiansk urban hromada
Founded1655
Area
 • Total
33.34 km2 (12.87 sq mi)
Population
 (2022)
 • Total
26,627
 • Density800/km2 (2,100/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal code
63700-63709
Websitekupyansk.osp-ua.info[dead link]
Map

Until 18 July 2020, Kupiansk was incorporated as a city of oblast significance and the center of Kupiansk Municipality. The municipality was abolished in July 2020, as part of administrative reforms in Ukraine, which reduced the number of raions in Kharkiv Oblast to seven. The area of Kupiansk Municipality was merged into Kupiansk Raion.[4][5]

Overview

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Kupiansk is located on the bank of the Oskil River. Kupiansk is divided into three subparts, known as: Kupiansk (main part of town), Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi (where the train station is), and Kivsharivka.

Kupiansk is about two and a half hours from Kharkiv. The two cities are connected by train and bus.

History

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World War II

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Kupiansk was occupied during World War II by Germany from 24 July 1942 to 3 February 1943.

Russo-Ukrainian War

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Russian invasion of Ukraine

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Aftermath of Russian shelling of Kupiansk, 25 January 2023

Kupiansk was occupied by Russian forces from 27 February 2022 to 10 September 2022.[6] Although the Ukrainian Army had destroyed a railway bridge to slow the Russian advance three days earlier, Kupiansk Mayor Hennadiy Matsehora, member of the Opposition Platform — For Life party, surrendered the city to the Russian Army in exchange for a cessation of hostilities, as the Russians threatened to take the city by force. As a result, the Ukrainian government indicted Matsehora for treason the next day.[7][8] On 28 February 2022, Matsehora was arrested by Ukrainian authorities.[9] Later Kupiansk became the de facto seat of the Russian-backed Kharkiv military-civilian administration[10] and an important logistical supply route.[11] At Kupiansk town hall, the Ukrainian flag continued to be flown for 6 weeks, and at the medical school for 3 months.[12] Locals were forced to work for the occupation force, paint bridges in the colours of the Russian flag and perform railway repair for alleged salaries that were never paid out.[12]

On 8 September 2022, a representative of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced that Ukrainian forces had retaken more than 20 settlements in the Kharkiv Oblast and "in some areas penetrated Russian defence positions up to 50km". On the same day, the Russian occupation authorities claimed that "the Russian army began to defend the city" and that "additional reinforcements entered the region from Russia", indicating that Ukrainian forces were re-approaching the city from the west, after retaking the town of Shevchenkove earlier that day.[13] On 9 September 2022, Ukrainian forces re-entered the outskirts of Kupiansk and its administrative borders, starting the battle of Kupiansk.[citation needed] By the morning of 10 September 2022, Ukrainian forces had recaptured the city council building.[14] Later that day, a Ukrainian official confirmed that the Ukrainian Armed Forces had liberated the city.[15] By September 26, Ukrainian Forces liberated Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi, the sister city of Kupiansk located on the left bank of the Oskil River.[16] On 3 March 2023 Ukrainian authorities ordered an evacuation of civilians from the city due to advances of Russian Armed Forces around Kupiansk and Bakhmut.[17]

After retreating from the city, Russian troops repeatedly shelled it.[18][19] In particular, the central city hospital, high-rise buildings and a lyceum,[20] the Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi railway station[21] and others were damaged.[22]

The first strikes against the town were on 13 September, which killed two civilians.[23] The next day, one person was wounded from airstrikes.[24] On 18 September, five people were injured from shelling in Kupiansk.[25] Two days later, two civilians were killed and five injured after Russian shelling on the city.[26] On 22 September, a woman and two children were injured by shelling.[27] On 27 September, five civilians were injured after a Russian strike on a church in Kupiansk.[28]

On 3 October, Russian shelling of a hospital in Kupiansk killed a doctor and injured a nurse.[29] One woman was injured on 5 October by an airstrike.[30]

Kupiansk's bridge over the Oskil River was partially damaged in combat, and became suitable only for use by pedestrians.[31] Russian forces bombed the local meat factory of Kupiansk, killing around a thousand pigs.[31]

On 26 September, Russian forces shelled a convoy of civilians escaping the villages of Kurylivka and Pishchane, near Kupiansk, killing 26 civilians. Signs of torture were discovered in Russian administration centers throughout the city.[32]

On 14 November 2024, two Russian armoured vehicle columns advanced into the city from the northeast,[33][34] though reportedly had tenuous control over the area.[33] Russian forces made further progress into the city the following day, with fighting reportedly ongoing in the industrial area, and were reportedly setting up supply lines to assist in further offensive efforts.[35]

Population

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Ethnicity and Language

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Ethnic makeup of the city as of 2001:[36]

Ethnic groups in Kupiansk
percent
Ukrainians
77.73%
Russians
16.20%
Belarusians
0.40%
Armenians
0.18%


Distribution of the population by native language according to the 2001 census:[37]

Language Percentage
Ukrainian 78.03%
Russian 19.59%
other/undecided 2.38%

Geography

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Climate

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Climate data for Kupiansk (1981–2010)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) −1.7
(28.9)
−1.1
(30.0)
5.1
(41.2)
15.3
(59.5)
22.3
(72.1)
26.0
(78.8)
28.1
(82.6)
27.4
(81.3)
20.9
(69.6)
13.0
(55.4)
4.4
(39.9)
−0.6
(30.9)
13.3
(55.9)
Daily mean °C (°F) −4.5
(23.9)
−4.6
(23.7)
0.8
(33.4)
9.5
(49.1)
15.9
(60.6)
19.7
(67.5)
21.7
(71.1)
20.4
(68.7)
14.5
(58.1)
8.0
(46.4)
1.2
(34.2)
−3.4
(25.9)
8.3
(46.9)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −7.3
(18.9)
−7.8
(18.0)
−2.8
(27.0)
4.1
(39.4)
9.5
(49.1)
13.7
(56.7)
15.5
(59.9)
13.8
(56.8)
8.8
(47.8)
3.6
(38.5)
−1.6
(29.1)
−6.1
(21.0)
3.6
(38.5)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 42.9
(1.69)
41.4
(1.63)
38.7
(1.52)
34.7
(1.37)
48.6
(1.91)
73.6
(2.90)
61.5
(2.42)
39.7
(1.56)
47.0
(1.85)
43.8
(1.72)
45.9
(1.81)
45.0
(1.77)
562.8
(22.16)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 9.5 8.6 8.1 6.3 7.1 8.8 7.0 5.3 7.0 6.3 7.1 8.5 89.6
Average relative humidity (%) 83.8 81.2 76.6 65.4 61.3 65.2 64.5 64.4 70.8 77.1 84.1 85.2 73.3
Source: World Meteorological Organization[38]

References

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  1. ^ "Купянская городская громада" [Kupyansk city community] (in Russian). Portal of united communities of Ukraine.
  2. ^ Чисельність наявного населення України на 1 січня 2022 [Number of Present Population of Ukraine, as of January 1, 2022] (PDF) (in Ukrainian and English). Kyiv: State Statistics Service of Ukraine. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 July 2022.
  3. ^ "Мер Куп'янська розповів про ситуацію в місті - Новини Харкова". zn.ua. Retrieved 2024-08-25.
  4. ^ "Про утворення та ліквідацію районів. Постанова Верховної Ради України № 807-ІХ" [About the formation and liquidation of districts. Resolution of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine No. 807-IX.]. Voice of Ukraine (in Ukrainian). 2020-07-18. Retrieved 2020-10-03.
  5. ^ "Нові райони: карти + склад" (in Ukrainian). Міністерство розвитку громад та територій України.
  6. ^ "In Kharkiv region, mayor admits to handing over city to occupiers". Pravda. February 27, 2022. Retrieved February 28, 2022.
  7. ^ "Mayor of Kupiansk who surrendered his city to invaders indicted for treason". Ukrayinska Pravda. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
  8. ^ "In Kharkiv region, mayor admits to handing over city to occupiers". Ukrayinska Pravda. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
  9. ^ "Мера Куп'янська, який здав місто окупантам, затримано – джерело" [Mayor of Kupiansk, who surrendered the city to the occupiers, has been detained – source]. LIGA (in Ukrainian). 2022-02-28. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
  10. ^ "The 90km journey that changed the course of the war in Ukraine". Financial Times(FT). 28 September 2022. Archived from the original on 1 October 2022. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
  11. ^ Goodhind, William (2023). "Report 7: Russian Military Convoys, Occupied-Kupiansk, Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine, 5 and 31 May 2022" (Document). Contested Ground. doi:10.13140/RG.2.2.22703.10407/1.
  12. ^ a b "Замінували цвинтар, допитували дітей. Як оговтується після нашестя росіян Куп'янськ на Харківщині (фото)" [The cemetery was replaced and the children were interrogated. How Kupiansk recovers after the invasion of Kharkiv in Kharkiv]. LB.ua (in Ukrainian). 15 October 2022. Retrieved 2023-08-15.
  13. ^ "Armed Forces of Ukraine advance on Kramatorsk front, killing up to 100 occupiers near Kupiansk General Staff". Yahoo! News. 5 September 2022.
  14. ^ @666_mancer (September 10, 2022). "Necro Mancer on Twitter: "#Купянск, Харьковская обл., наши в городе"" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  15. ^ "'Everybody was running away.' Ukrainians in Kharkiv villages describe Russia's retreat". CNN. 12 September 2022.
  16. ^ "Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi settlement liberated in Kharkiv Oblast, 6% of Kharkiv Oblast still under occupation". www.pravda.com.ua. Retrieved 2023-03-08.
  17. ^ ""Ukraine orders evacuation of city it recaptured (BBC)"". BBC News. 3 March 2023.
  18. ^ "Ракетний удар по лікарні в Куп'янську: колеги розповіли про загиблого медика". Об'єктив. 2022-10-03.
  19. ^ Loveluck, Louisa; Korolchuk, Serhii; Grzedzinski, Wojciech (15 October 2022). "In Kupiansk, in northeast Ukraine, liberation came at a steep cost". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 16 November 2022. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  20. ^ "У Куп'янському районі фіксують наслідки російських артобстрілів 29 листопада". suspilne.media. 2022-11-29.
  21. ^ "РФ обстріляла Куп'янськ-Вузловий на Харківщині: пошкоджена залізнична інфраструктура". suspilne.media. 2022-12-04.
  22. ^ "Вранці 5 грудня Росія обстріляла Куп'янську громаду: згоріла станція техобслуговування". suspilne.media. 2022-12-05.
  23. ^ "Three civilians killed in Russia's shelling of Kharkiv region". Ukrinform. 13 September 2022. Archived from the original on 9 December 2022. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  24. ^ "Three wounded in enemy attacks on liberated territories of Kharkiv region". Ukrinform. 14 September 2022. Archived from the original on 9 December 2022. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  25. ^ "Russian forces shell civilian car in Kharkiv region, killing two women". Ukrinform. 18 September 2022. Archived from the original on 9 December 2022. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  26. ^ "Two civilians killed, nine more injured in enemy shelling of Kharkiv region". Ukrinform. 20 September 2022. Archived from the original on 9 December 2022. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  27. ^ "Russian troops again shell liberated Kupiansk, injuring woman and two children". Ukrinform. 22 September 2022. Archived from the original on 9 December 2022. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  28. ^ "Missile strike on Kupiansk: President's Office shows consequences of attack". Ukrinform. 27 September 2022. Archived from the original on 9 December 2022. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  29. ^ "Zelensky: invaders shell hospital in Kupyansk, killing doctor, injuring nurse". Ukrinform. 3 October 2022. Archived from the original on 9 December 2022. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  30. ^ "Three civilians injured in enemy shelling of Kharkiv region". Ukrinform. 5 October 2022. Archived from the original on 9 December 2022. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  31. ^ a b Järvenkylä, Nina (16 November 2022). "IL Ukrainassa: Kraken-yksikkö työnsi venäläiset ulos Kupianskista – taisteluissa kaduilla juoksi sikoja ja venäläiset pakenivat metsään". Iltalehti (in Finnish). Archived from the original on 6 December 2022. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  32. ^ Gallón, Natalie; Walsh, Nick Paton; Gak, Kostyantin; Lâiné, Brice (19 September 2022). "Liberation has finally come to Ukraine's Kharkiv. But scars of Russia's brutal occupation remain". CNN. Archived from the original on 5 December 2022. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  33. ^ a b Wolkov, Nicole; Mappes, Grace; Stepanenko, Kateryna; Runkel, William; Runkel, William; Gibson, Olivia; Kagan, Frederick W.; Trotter, Nate (14 November 2024). "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, November 14, 2024". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  34. ^ Diakonov, Ivan (14 November 2024). "Russians occupy Illinka in Donetsk Oblast and enter Kupiansk in Kharkiv Oblast – DeepState". Ukrainska Pravda.
  35. ^ Mappes, Grace; Hird, Karolina; Evans, Angelica; Runkel, William; Gasparyan, Davit; Gibson, Olivia; Barros, George; Trotter, Nate (15 November 2024). "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, November 15, 2024". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  36. ^ "Національний склад міст".
  37. ^ "Рідні мови в об'єднаних територіальних громадах України".
  38. ^ "World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1981–2010". World Meteorological Organization. Archived from the original on 17 July 2021. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
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