Ukrainian forces recently advanced in northern Kharkiv Oblast and thwarted a Russian flag-raising mission near Vovchansk, while Russian forces reportedly made limited advances near Kupyansk, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said on Wednesday, Aug. 19.
Geolocated footage published on Tuesday, indicates that Ukrainian forces recently advanced north of Bilyi Kolodyaz, north of Kharkiv City, according to the ISW assessment.
On Wednesday, Russian milbloggers claimed that Russian forces advanced east of and in northwestern Kozacha Lopan and east of Vysoka Yaruha. However, ISW could not independently confirm the reported gains.
Flag-raising attempts and bombs
Ukrainian forces also stopped a Russian attempt to raise a flag in the Vovchansk direction, according to Ukraine’s State Border Service.
ISW said such missions are part of the Kremlin’s cognitive warfare effort to create a false impression of Russian territorial gains.
Ukrainian forces are also facing continued Russian glide-bomb attacks against military assets in areas near the frontline.
Geolocated footage published on Wednesday shows Russian forces striking a Ukrainian artillery system in northern Slatyne with four FAB-500 glide bombs.
According to the assessment, Russian forces are increasingly relying on glide bombs to strike Ukrainian military assets in the rear and support infantry advances along the frontline as bombs are less vulnerable to Ukrainian drone strikes than artillery systems.
Russian forces seek to cross the Oskil River
In the eastern Kharkiv Oblast, Russia’s objective remains crossing the Oskil River and pushing westward toward eastern Kharkiv and the northern Donetsk oblasts.
Russian forces recently advanced in the Kupyansk direction, with a source claiming that Russian assault units had seized the eastern part of Kivsharivka, southeast of Kupyansk.
The claim supports Ukrainian military observer Kostyantyn Mashovets’ Aug. 13 report that Russian forces had consolidated on the northeastern outskirts of Kivsharivka.
Earlier this week, a Russian milblogger also claimed that Russian forces advanced east of Mala Shapkivka, north of Kupyansk, as well as north and south of Radkivka, and in northwestern Kupyansk.
A source reporting on the Russian Western Grouping of Forces claimed that Russian forces attacked in the Borova direction on Wednesday, as Ukrainian forces counterattacked in the area. However, ISW said it had not observed evidence that Russian forces advanced there.
Ukraine strikes Russian military assets in occupied Luhansk
Ukrainian forces continued their intermediate-range strike campaign against Russian military assets in the occupied Luhansk Oblast, according to Ukraine’s General Staff.
On Wednesday, the agency reported that Ukrainian forces struck a Russian drone depot near occupied Lobacheve, a material and technical support warehouse near occupied Kadiivka, and Russian equipment and personnel near occupied Lysychansk.
According to ISW, the reported targets were approximately 86 or 118 kilometers (53 or 73 miles) from the frontline near Lobacheve, 62 kilometers (38 miles) near Kadiivka, and 36 kilometers (22 miles) near Lysychansk.