Drone footage of Kupiansk after "liberated" by Ukrainian forces

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Ukrainian forces say they have regained control of the Kupiansk City Council building in eastern Ukraine on Tuesday Jan 12, 2026, marking what officials described as a symbolic and strategic gain in the ongoing counteroffensive in the Kharkiv region. According to the Khartiia Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine, Ukrainian troops raised the national flag over the city council building on January 12, after retaking the site from Russian forces. The brigade released video footage showing the flag-raising and said the operation was conducted under the leadership of the 2nd Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine. Colonel Igor Oboliensky, commander of the 2nd Corps, said the operation demonstrated Ukraine’s ability to halt and defeat Russian forces. “The Kupiansk operation proves that it’s possible to successfully stop and destroy the enemy,” Oboliensky said in a statement. The assault was led by troops from the Reconnaissance and Strike Group of the 4th Battalion of the Khartiia Brigade, which secured the city centre, Ukrainian officials said. Forces are now continuing clearance operations to remove remaining Russian units from Kupiansk. Kupiansk is a key logistical and strategic hub in the Kharkiv region and has been repeatedly contested since Russia’s full-scale invasion. Ukrainian officials said the city had previously been claimed by Russian forces in reports to Vladimir Putin, making its recapture a notable development. Russia has not commented on the latest claims, and the situation on the ground could not be independently verified.