Russia has gathered over 100,000 soldiers in the Lyman-Kupyansk direction, the spokesperson for the Eastern Group of Ukraine’s Armed Forces Serhiy Cherevaty said during the national TV marathon.

“The enemy massed a very powerful group in the Lyman-Kupyansk direction — over 100,000 of personnel, over 900 tanks, over 555 artillery systems, 370 multiple rocket launchers. To make it clear — the peak number of Soviet troops in Afghanistan was 120,000,” Cherevaty claimed.

He stated that the troops in question were paratrooper units and the best mechanised infantry units, as well as the territorial forces reserve and private military companies.

The governor of Kharkiv region Oleh Synehubov also reported that the Russian forces were going on the offensive in the Kupyansk direction.

“In the Kupyansk direction, we’ve been having battles, the enemy has been carrying out active assault actions. These are no longer separate small sabotage and assault groups. These are actual assault actions. Our warriors are holding their positions and taking action to eliminate the enemy,” he said during the TV marathon.

This information was previously reported by other Ukrainian military officers. In particular, the commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi said that the Russian troops were advancing.

“The enemy has gone on the offensive in the Kupyansk direction, setting the goal of destroying our forces in the Kupyansk district and continuing the advances into the depth of our battle formations,” he stated.

On 16 July, Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine Hanna Maliar reported on the offensive being carried out by the Russian forces. She claimed that the Russian troops had begun an active offensive in the Kupyansk area while Ukraine’s forces had passed onto defensive positions in the area.