Russian army counterattacks at Kupyansk direction - Kharkiv regional council deputy

He said this on Espreso TV.

"We have information that they are counterattacking in the Kupyansk direction with very powerful forces, and it is difficult for our defenders to hold the defense there, and, unfortunately, there is an advance on their side, and this is confirmed by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine," he said.

Skoryk also thinks that this is the only area where the occupiers can achieve some minor gains.

"However, strategically, I think this is done so that we can redeploy our troops from other areas where we are succeeding," he added.

In addition, the deputy believes that this strategic decision is due to the occupiers' desire to weaken the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia directions.

"This is the strategy of war and I think our General Staff is assessing it, but to be fair, I want to note that the situation is very tense - we are under heavy shelling," Skoryk emphasized.

• On July 16, Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Hanna Maliar reported that the situation in the east had escalated - the enemy had been actively advancing in the Kupyansk direction in Kharkiv region for two days straight.