KUPIANSK, Ukraine

Ukraine's army is trying to repel increasing attacks conducted by the Russian military in the eastern Kharkiv region.

Despite harsh winter conditions, clashes between Ukrainian and Russian forces have intensified notably in the direction of the city of Kupiansk, similar to those near Bakhmut, Avdiivka, Marinka, Lyman, Vuhledar and other settlements.

The increasingly cold weather in the region, where snowfall has been reported and temperatures dropped below zero, has caused more difficult conditions for the soldiers on the front line.

"There are … clashes in the Kupiansk direction. Like (in) Bakhmut, there are … clashes in this direction, I think there is no difference. Now the situation is the same on the entire front line," a Ukrainian soldier, codenamed Monakh, told Anadolu.

Indicating that Russian forces in the area are looking for weak spots on the front line, Monakh said that they are not allowing Russian troops to infiltrate such positions.

"We are holding the defensive line. We have strong soldiers. We do not have a more important task, we must hold the defensive line," Monakh said.

Another Ukrainian soldier with the callsign Murakha told Anadolu that they are fighting for "every centimeter of land of our country."


* Writing by Burc Eruygur in Istanbul