Lyptsi: How Ukrainian forces turned Russia’s offensive into a “meat grinder”

In May 2024, the Russian "Sever" Group launched an offensive in the northern Kharkiv region with the objective of simultaneously reaching the outskirts of Kharkiv to renew terror on Northern Saltivka and attempting a breakthrough to neighboring town of Velykyi Burluk. According to military observer Oleksandr Kovalenko, while the Vovchansk direction received most of the media attention, the battles near Lyptsi largely remained underreported.

Since May 2024, Ukrainian forces, including the 13th "Khartia" Brigade, the 92nd Mechanized Brigade, as well as Special Operations Force and Defense Intelligence units, have been engaged in repelling the Russian offensive near Lyptsi. Despite Ukrainian forces being outnumbered and having fewer resources, Kovalenko notes that Russian troops have struggled to achieve any significant gains in this area.

In the zone of responsibility of the "Khartia" Brigade alone, Russian forces have suffered at least 750 killed, over 1,100 wounded, more than 200 vehicles destroyed, and more than 1,200 hideouts damaged or destroyed. 

Notably, the "Khartia" Brigade carried out a fully robotized offensive operation in early December 2024, marking the first of its kind. The operation targeted Russian positions on the Kharkiv front. Kovalenko observes that such technological advancements play a crucial role in Ukraine's defense strategy, significantly improving operational efficiency and targeting accuracy.

Currently, the Lyptsi area remains one of the most stable fronts for Ukrainian forces, holding defensive positions and carrying out periodic operations to reclaim territory. Kovalenko states that Russian forces have avoided deploying military vehicles in this area due to the depth of fire control maintained by Ukrainian forces. This fire control has made it extremely difficult for the Russians to gain any substantial ground.

A recent attempt by Russian forces to break through with three BMPs (Soviet amphibious tracked infantry fighting vehicles- ed.) ended in failure, with none reaching their destination.

Since the beginning of 2025, at least 100 Russian mobilized soldiers, over 150 drones, and more than 100 hideouts have been neutralized in this direction. Kovalenko emphasizes that these losses, combined with the destruction of significant military assets, indicate the pressure being exerted on Russian forces in the area.

Lyptsi has effectively turned into a "meat grinder" for the Russian military, as Kovalenko describes it, despite their initial plans to turn the area into a stronghold for operations against Kharkiv’s suburbs.