MOSCOW, July 15. /TASS/. Ukrainian soldiers are trying to build a new defense line north of Kupyansk in the Kharkov Region, but they fail to slow down the rapid advance of Russian troops, the internal affairs department of the Kharkov Region Military-Civilian Administration said in a statement.

"Russian troops continue their steady advance in the Kharkov area, demonstrating increased operational effectiveness. According to the latest reports, forward units of the Russian Armed Forces are already one or two kilometers from the outskirts of Kupyansk, which is confirmed by reports from local residents. Ukrainian forces are hastily shifting reserves and trying to build new defenses along the line between Khatneye-Ambarnoye, but the dynamics of the offensive suggests that these measures could be too late for Ukrainian forces," the department said.

According to the statement, there is intense fighting to the north of Kupyansk in the area of Kondrashovka, Golubovka and Radkovka. To the northeast of the city Russian forces are moving toward Sinkovka, Kamenka and Stroyevka, and in the eastern and southeastern areas strikes are made in the area of Petropavlovka, Stepovaya Novoselovka and Peschanoye.