Russian army holds Kupyansk, raids Ukrainian military infrastructure: Defense Ministry

The Russian army holds control of the strategic city of Kupyansk in the Kharkiv region, and conducted a large-scale strike on Ukrainian military-related targets overnight, Moscow said Saturday.

The raid was made "in response to terrorist attacks carried out by the Kyiv regime against civilian facilities on Russian territory," the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

Russian forces used long-range precision weapons from land, air and sea platforms, including hypersonic Kinzhal missiles, to attack power infrastructure supporting Ukrainian military operations and defense industry.

The strike achieved its objectives, with all designated targets successfully hit, said the statement.

Meanwhile, Kupyansk remains under the control of Russian troops after they repelled five Ukrainian counterattacks over the past two days, said Ivan Bigma, spokesman of Russia's Western Group of Forces.

"All counterattacks were repelled, and no territorial losses were sustained," Bigma said.

During the engagements, Russian forces destroyed five pieces of military equipment, including two U.S.-made M113 armored personnel carriers, and eliminated over 20 Ukrainian soldiers, he added.

(Cover: Russian servicemen of the 288th Guards Artillery Brigade of the Zapad (West) Group of Forces prepare to launch a Kub-UAV loitering munition, Kupyansk sector, Ukraine, November 16, 2025. /VCG)