MOSCOW, June 1. /TASS/. Russian forces have come close to Kupyansk in the Kharkov Region, Vitaly Ganchev, head of the regional military-civilian administration, told TASS on Thursday.

"The frontline has practically come close to Kupyansk. The city is divided into two parts by the Oskol River. The left bank of the Oskol is under our control. The left-bank side of Kupyansk: our troops are close to it. Many Ukrainian channels already do not conceal that our armed forces are close to the city and somewhere positional battles occurred on the streets of Kupyansk and the private sector located nearby," the regional official said.

The Russian Defense Ministry reported on September 10, 2022 that its troops positioned in Balakleya and Izyum in the Kharkov Region regrouped their forces to build up efforts in Donbass. The regional military-civilian administration announced evacuation at that time.