Collapse of Russian : Russians Evacuate Kupyansk – Ukrainians Capture Balakleya & Shevchenkovo

The Russians continue to surprise, giving space for a Ukrainian advance in Kharkiv. Ukrainian forces recaptured a number of important areas.
The Russians are currently showing an inability to maintain control over the entire 1,000 km long front from Kherson to Kharkiv.

The Ukrainians are playing it all, now moving towards the two major Russian strongholds in the region, Isium and Kupiansk.

The Russian Army is now beginning to face a serious problem as its defensive arrangement west of Oskol has collapsed.

Balakliya is under operational encirclement and within the fire zone of Ukrainian artillery. However, the Ukrainians seem to be bypassing it and moving towards Kupyansk, one of the most important hubs and strongholds of the Russians in the region.

Ukrainian troops occupied Chkalovsky, Nova Gusarifka, Yakonevkovo, Bairak, Semenivka, Kalynivka, Taranushyne, Krasnaya Gusarovka (Гусаровка), Vovchyi Yar, Volokhiv Yar districts and are now 45km from Kupyansk and 15km from Shevchenkovo.
The Russian defense has collapsed at a rapid pace, with the result that the Ukrainian Army has occupied Balakliya and Shevchenkovo.

The Russians recently ordered the evacuation of women and children from Kupyansk as Ukrainian troops also launched an attack on Berezhivka, just outside Kupyansk. The Ukrainians are located 25 km from the largest logistic support hub of the Russian Army.
In addition, Ukrainian forces occupied the areas of Khudoyarovo, Ivanifka, while to the east they recaptured the town of Borshchivka/Борщивка and reached the western suburbs of Shevchenkove/Шевченкове. The city was captured a while ago.

In the previous hours, the Ukrainian Army managed to recapture the villages of Studenok, Ivanivka, Hrakove, Zaliznychne, Nova Hnylytsya, Chkalovske, Semenivka and Bohodarivka.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine entered the center of Balakleya, confirmed by footage of the Ukrainian army in the center of the city.
According to information, the Ukrainians raised their flag at the City Hall.
The Ukrainian Army controls in Balakliya/Balakliya the city center, the south and the north-west part. Meanwhile the Russian Army controls the north and east but has been ordered to retreat to Kupiansk.

According to Russian media:

► Thanks to the sending of reserves of Russian troops to Balakleya, the situation has stabilized, the fighting continues.

► The Russian army has fully withdrawn from the Chkalovsky region.

► Ukrainian forces are trying to cut off part of the Kupyansk-Izium highway.

► Currently, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have put the northern road to Kupyansk under control, night attacks were carried out in the direction of Volokhov Yar to cut the road leading to Balakleya.

-Two detachments of the Russian Guard near Volokhov Yar have been fighting for more than a day in complete encirclement.

If the Armed Forces of Ukraine take Volokhov Yar, then the way to Izium and Kupyansk will be opened. The Ukrainians seek to cut off Isium from the "mainland" and expel Russian troops from Ukrainian territory.