Ukraine’s Kupiansk remains off-limits to all except military

The situation in the city is critical, he emphasized on Suspilne TV.

“Kupiansk is a closed territory, the city is completely closed to any services,” he explained.

According to him, currently only the military can enter, so evacuation is extremely difficult. “The only way to leave now is to walk out of Kupiansk. Our services — volunteers, the State Emergency Service, police — are already there to pick people up and take them to a safer place. Or you can contact the military — they will definitely help,” Besedin said.

As of September 28, about 680 people remain in the right-bank part of Kupiansk, and over 1,600 in the entire community. “People’s lives are under threat every moment,” the head of Kupiansk said.

The city has no electricity, water, or gas supply, and no social services.

Authorities are urging local residents to leave, as the situation has reached a critical point.

In addition, a counter-sabotage operation is ongoing in Kupiansk. “Our special units are checking every centimeter of the city, every building, every entrance, every basement — and are striking the Russians, driving them out, to prevent Russian invaders from consolidating,” emphasized the head of the administration.

• At the beginning of September this year, the head of the Kupiansk city military administration, Andriy Besedin, reported that the city was 95% destroyed.