Pressure on Kupiansk is not related to "Rubicon" unit, - Trehubov
Russian forces have stepped up their activities north and east of Kupiansk, but the impact of the Russian drone unit "Rubicon" is not decisive.
According to Censor.NET, Viktor Trehubov, spokesperson for the Joint Forces Operation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, made this statement in a comment to LIGA.net.
In the Kupiansk sector, the most tense situation is north of the city of Kupiansk. According to Trehubov, Russian occupiers have entered the village of Holubivka and are attempting to advance toward the city, in particular by using tactics that involve moving through engineering communications, such as pipes.
Another hotspot is the eastern sector, primarily the area around the village of Kivsharivka. High-intensity combat is also being reported there.
In both cases, the Russians are "simply overwhelming the opposition with numbers and intensity."
"To say that ‘Rubicon’ is having such an undeniable impact there right now—well, no, not in my opinion," the spokesperson noted.
The Russians have replenished their forces and intensified their pressure
The problem in this sector stems from the fact that Russian troops have managed to partially replenish their personnel and have resumed active infantry assaults. According to Trehubov, the occupiers are effectively "throwing" significant forces into the attacks, attempting to overwhelm the enemy with sheer numbers.
This allows the enemy to move more covertly, build up forces, and complicate the work of Ukrainian intelligence and strike assets.
What is known about "Rubicon"?
The Russian drone unit "Rubicon" (full name: "Rubicon" Center for Advanced Unmanned Technologies) is a relatively new elite unit of the Russian Armed Forces that has become one of the key forces in the war against Ukraine. It was established in August 2024 at the initiative of the Russian Ministry of Defense.
It first came to light in the fall of 2024 during a Defense Forces operation in the Kursk region. In less than a year, it has evolved into a unit specifically designed to create all the conditions necessary for a Russian infantry offensive into Ukrainian territory.
Its tasks:
- Drone attacks on Ukrainian equipment and logistics
- Hunting down Ukrainian UAV operators
- Reconnaissance and electronic warfare
- Training and preparation of other Russian drone units
Currently, it consists of about 1,500 Russian military personnel. But this number is changing rapidly—"Rubicon" recruiters can afford to poach pilots from other units, entire crews at a time. Russia’s military and political leadership is placing a great deal of hope in "Rubicon".
