Ukraine’s 41st Separate Mechanized Brigade has published a series of poignant aerial photographs of Kupiansk. The images reveal the extensive destruction caused by repeated Russian attacks.
This is how Kupiansk is seen every day by drone pilots from the 41st Separate Mechanized Brigade.
The photographs show damaged apartment blocks with collapsed sections, burned-out buildings, destroyed neighborhoods and streets covered in debris. Some structures have been almost completely demolished, leaving only isolated walls and piles of concrete.
“Life once filled these streets, with children’s laughter and adults going about their daily routines. Then the horde arrived and turned this picturesque, welcoming city into a den of death and darkness because it could not bring it to its knees,” the brigade said.
The soldiers stressed that they believe Kupiansk will be rebuilt after the war.
“The enemy left ruins behind. But we will leave Victory behind. And Kupiansk will certainly become a city of life, not war, once again,” the statement reads.
Kupiansk remains an area of active fighting and regular Russian attacks. According to the city’s military administration, practically no buildings suitable for habitation remain, while critical infrastructure has been destroyed.
Russian forces occupied Kupiansk in February 2022. Ukrainian troops liberated the city during the Kharkiv counteroffensive in September of that year. Due to its strategic importance as a major railway and road hub, the Russian military continues its attempts to regain control of the city.
