Ukrainian army has tactical successes along border of Kharkiv, Luhansk regions - ISW

This is reported by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). 

"Ukrainian forces conducted counteroffensive actions on at least three sectors of the frontline against the backdrop of increased Russian offensive operations and claimed tactical gains along the Kharkiv-Luhansk Oblast border on July 18," the report says. 

Invading Russian troops have recently intensified offensive operations in the Kupiansk district and continue to deploy reinforcements in the Bakhmut direction.

According to ISW, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed that the invading forces had advanced up to 2 km along the front and 1.5 km in depth in an unspecified area in the Kupiansk sector.

"Russian forces aim to draw Ukrainian reserves to the Kupiansk area and away from critical areas of the theater where Ukrainian forces are conducting counteroffensive operations," the ISW wrote. 

ISW estimates that the Russian troops are unlikely to make tactically significant progress or operational breakthroughs between the northeastern parts of Kharkiv and Luhansk regions due to the low quality of forces deployed in the area.

Russian army's offensive in the Kupiansk area

On July 16, Ukraine's Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar reported that the situation in the east had escalated - the Russian forces had been actively advancing in the Kupiansk direction in the Kharkiv region for two days in a row.

Maliar noted that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are on the defensive in this area, there are fierce battles, and the position of the parties is changing dynamically several times a day.

On July 17, Kharkiv Regional Council member Oleksandr Skoryk said that the Russian army continues to conduct counteroffensives in the Kupiansk sector. According to him, the Russian troops are counterattacking with very powerful forces, so it is difficult for Ukrainian defenders to hold the line. Unfortunately, they are making progress, and this is confirmed by the General Staff. 

Later, the Russian army's launch of an offensive in the Kupiansk sector was confirmed by the commander of the Ukrainian Army, Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi. He noted that the enemy has set itself the goal of defeating Ukrainian troops in the Kupiansk area and continuing the offensive deep into our combat formations.

On Telegram, Maliar said that after the failure of the plan to seize Kyiv, the Kremlin ordered its military to reach the administrative borders of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, and after the successful offensive of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on Bakhmut, they panicked. According to her, the Russians moved to the Kupiansk direction to divert attention, as they have done many times before, but in vain.

In its morning report on July 18, the Ukrainian Armed Forces' General Staff noted that the Russian army was attacking in the Kupiansk, Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Marinka directions, with 36 combat engagements taking place there over the past day.

According to the General Staff, Ukrainian troops are holding steady in the Kupiansk sector. The enemy conducted unsuccessful offensives west of Lyman Pershyi in the Kharkiv region. 

On Tuesday, July 18, it became known that the Russian army had concentrated its main efforts in the Kupiansk direction and was continuing its offensive, while the Ukrainian Armed Forces were holding the line. The enemy is moving reserves to the Bakhmut direction to stop the advance of the Ukrainian Defense Forces.