In an intercepted call, a resident of Russia’s Bryansk region describes the fighting near Kupyansk as a “meat grinder,” saying that Russian media reports are far from the truth.

February 3, 2025

A Russian woman from the Bryansk region discussing the severe losses suffered by Moscow’s army in the Kupyansk area of the Kharkiv region, as an intercepted call by Ukrainian intelligence (HUR) shared via Telegram reveals.

The woman, reportedly speaking about a relative involved in the fighting, described the battlefield as a “meat grinder,” contradicting Russian media reports.

Ukrainian servicemen of the 43rd Artillery Brigade fire self-propelled artillery 2S7 Pion toward Russian positions, in an undisclosed area, in the Pokrovsk district, in the eastern Donetsk region, on August 8, 2024. (Photo by Roman PILIPEY / AFP)

“It’s terrible there, a meat grinder. This is not what they [the media] write and show here. That’s far from the truth,” she said.

According to her, Russian soldiers sent into battle in this sector do not return.

“Nobody is coming back from there. Everyone is lying there, everything is covered in blood, everything is covered in blood and bones,” she added.

Serhiy Bratchuk, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Volunteer Army “South,” recently told Glavred media outlet that Russian forces are continuing attempts to advance in the Kupyansk sector.

“The Kupyansk sector is interesting for the enemy. It has become more active there. Ukrainian units are working in response,” Bratchuk said.

He said that Kupyansk-Vuzlovy is a key strategic settlement for Russian forces due to its railway and logistics infrastructure.

“All Russian military logistics rely on railways. Therefore, the enemy is trying to capture such locations to facilitate further movement,” Bratchuk added.

According to him, Russian forces are attempting to establish small bridgeheads along the Oskil River to advance towards Kupyansk and Kupyansk-Vuzlovy. These efforts are aimed at securing positions for a potential larger offensive in the area.

As Kyiv Post reported in August 2024, the situation in the Kharkiv region remained critical as Russian forces continued efforts to seize new territory. Ukraine’s Kharkiv operational-tactical group said that Russian troops were concentrating their attacks on the settlement of Vovchansk.

According to the group’s command, Russian forces launched assaults on Ukrainian Defense Forces positions, with the most intense activity observed around Vovchansk.

In July of 2024, Kyiv Post reported that the battle for Vovchansk – a key hotspot in Russia’s May offensive – had largely been contained by Ukrainian troops. This marked one of the rare instances since the 2022 invasion where Russian forces did not hold overwhelming firepower superiority.

However, Col. Vitaly Sarantsev, spokesperson for Ukraine’s Kharkiv Operational-Tactical Group, stated on national television on July 14, 2024, that the situation remained difficult. Russian troops continued their advance despite suffering heavy losses.

Kyiv Post regularly reposts some of the most revealing and shocking intercepted conversations. Check out more intercepted conversations:

https://www.kyivpost.com/post/46490