On September 26, Ukrainian forces repelled a reinforced battalion-sized Russian mechanized attack in the direction of Kupyansk. This is the first major Russian mechanized attack along the Kupyansk-Svatov-Kremina line since the winter of 2024.
This is what the ISW Institute for the Study of War writes in its daily review, quoted by news.bg.
Russian forces may intensify their efforts to reach the Oskil River, although Russian progress along the east (left) bank of the Oskil River is likely to continue to be relatively gradual.
However, the Russian military command has indicated that it is likely to accept continued incremental gains along the Kupyansk-Svatovo-Kremina line.
The Western force group probably has limited ability to sustain an intensified advance along the Kupyansk-Svatov-Kremina line or to conduct effective combat operations that would lead to faster successes.
Russian authorities appear to be making significant efforts to influence the Western debate over allowing Ukraine to use Western-supplied weapons to launch long-range strikes against military targets in Russia.
These Russian efforts suggest deep concern about the operational pressure such strikes in Russia would place on Russian offensive operations in Ukraine, although US officials remain hesitant to authorize Ukraine to carry out such strikes.
The benefits of allowing Ukraine to use Western-provided long-range strike systems against Russia may outweigh the risk of Russian retaliation more than Western policymakers currently think.
On September 27, Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov met with Kremlin-linked military bloggers, possibly as part of the Kremlin's ongoing efforts to co-opt Russian bloggers and play down the recent backlash in the ultra-nationalist news space over the death of two famous drone operators.
The People's Republic of China (PRC) has announced a new initiative to attract international support for its alternative peace plan for Ukraine, amid increasing cooperation with Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy continued to meet with US officials regarding the war in Ukraine during his visit to the US on September 26 and 27.
Russian and Ukrainian forces continued offensives in Kursk Oblast, but neither side made further progress.
Russian forces have recently advanced in and around Toretsk and southeast of Pokrovsk.