Kupiansk was seized by Moscow's forces in the early days of their February 2022 invasion and recaptured by Ukrainian troops in a rapid counter-offensive months later. In recent months, the area has seen an upsurge of activity by Russian forces.

A Russian assault group briefly broke through to the outskirts of Ukraine's northeastern city of Kupiansk for the first time since Moscow's forces fled in September 2022, Ukrainian officials said, in a sign of mounting pressure on the outpost.