Civilians in Ukraine’s Northeast Face Deadly Risk of Shelling as Fears of a Second Russian Takeover Increase

Russian forces struck a cafe in a key front-line area in northeastern Ukraine on Saturday, resulting in the death of two civilians and the injury of another, according to regional officials. The shelling occurred near the city of Kupiansk, which was captured by Kyiv last September after months of Russian occupation. The recent intense fighting in the region has led to mandatory evacuations and concerns of another Russian takeover.

The governor of the region, Oleh Syniehubov, confirmed the attack on the cafe in an eastern suburb of Kupiansk. Russian shells hit the establishment, and rescue teams were dispatched to the scene. As tensions mount, U.K. military intelligence has assessed that Russia might escalate its offensive efforts in the Kupiansk area, as well as in nearby Lyman, to alleviate pressure on its forces in other regions where Ukrainian counteroffensives have gained ground.

Last year, after the Russian occupiers left Kupiansk, Ukrainian authorities discovered torture chambers and mass graves in the region. The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has both sides engaging in offensive measures beyond the front lines. On Saturday, Moscow experienced a drone attack that temporarily shut down its airports. While Russian officials blamed Ukraine for the attack, Ukrainian authorities have not yet commented on the incident.

In recent weeks, there have been multiple drone attacks between Russia and Ukraine, with Moscow’s forces bombarding Ukrainian grain storage depots, and Kyiv claiming to have destroyed a key Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile defense system in occupied Crimea. Ukrainian media also reported that Ukrainian saboteurs, coordinated by Kyiv’s military intelligence services, carried out drone attacks that damaged bomber aircraft at air bases in Russia.