DONETSK, January 27. /TASS/. The liberation of Kupyansk-Uzlovoi significantly hampers the Ukrainian armed forces' ability to launch a counterattack against Kupyansk from the south, Igor Kimakovsky, adviser to the head of the DPR, told TASS.

"Kupyansk-Uzlovoi is a tactically vital village for the liberation of the Kharkov Region. Its fall has deprived Ukrainian forces of the opportunity to mount a southern counteroffensive against Kupyansk," Kimakovsky explained.

He further noted that Kupyansk-Uzlovoi served as the primary logistical hub for Ukrainian operations in this sector of the front. "All logistics flowed through this village. Ukrainian forces constructed a fill at the site of the destroyed bridge to facilitate the movement of equipment and personnel to Kupyansk," Kimakovsky added.

Earlier on Tuesday, Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov announced the successful liberation of Kupyansk-Uzlovoi.