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Russian troops are said to have launched a full-scale attack on Kupyansk in northeastern Ukraine, just a few days after managing to partially penetrate Ukrainian defenses north of the city.

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For weeks, Ukrainian soldiers have faced challenges in stopping the gradual advance of Russian forces, who are moving in from the north, east, and south toward the key railway and transport center.

The city has been in Ukrainian hands since late 2022, when military leaders successfully reclaimed it during an unexpected offensive in the Kharkiv area.

Earlier this week, reports from both Ukrainian and Russian officials indicated that small groups of Russian soldiers reached the northern outskirts of Kupyansk. However, Ukrainian military leaders stated that they successfully pushed back this advance.

On Telegram, Russian military bloggers shared updates that ground troops had moved into an industrial area in the northern part of the city, where intense clashes were taking place.

According to Ukraine's General Staff, Russian forces are launching attacks on the surrounding areas, but they did not report any confrontations occurring within the city itself.

For several months, Ukrainian forces have been working hard to resist Russian advances along the nearly 1,100-kilometer front.

On November 15, Oleksandr Musiyenko, a military analyst from the Military-Legal Investigations Center in Kyiv, shared with RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service that Russian forces have been heavily assaulting the Kupyansk area for the past year and a half. He noted that after so many attacks over such a long period, it's likely they have achieved some tactical victories.

He described the situation as "tense" but indicated that Ukrainian troops were making progress in diminishing the Russian attempt to surround them.

Besides Kupyansk, Russian forces are advancing towards the Donbas city of Pokrovsk and have gained partial control over Toretsk and Chasiv Yar. If these cities are captured by Russia, it would pose a significant risk to Ukraine's supply and logistics routes throughout the Donbas region.

In the meantime, Ukraine has increased its deployment of drones to strike military installations and industrial locations, including fuel storage facilities, within Russia’s borders.

On November 15, Ukraine sent numerous drones into action, with some aimed at the southern Russian area of Krasnodar. Governor Veniamin Kondratyev stated that the districts of Krymsk and Krasnoarmeisk experienced damage, although fortunately, there were no reported injuries.

The Telegram channel Astra stated that the assault was aimed at the Krymsk air base, which is utilized by Russian military for carrying out operations.

Ukrainian authorities did not provide any immediate response regarding the attack.

Ukrainian troops have reported that they have gained control over more than 1,200 square kilometers of Russian land following an unexpected cross-border operation in the Kursk area that began in early August.

Musiyenko suggested that Russian troops may be ramping up their attacks in different areas to lure some Ukrainian soldiers stationed in Kursk to other battlefronts.

He mentioned that Russia's main objective at this time is to completely take control of the Donetsk area.

Russia's Defense Ministry stated that over 80 Ukrainian drones were detected flying over Russian land and the occupied Crimean Peninsula. They asserted that a number of these drones were intercepted by their air defense systems.

The day before, Russia carried out a drone and missile attack on Odesa, a key city on the Black Sea that plays a vital role in Ukraine's grain and agricultural exports. The mayor, Hennadiy Trukhanov, described it as "a large-scale coordinated assault."

WATCH: On November 14, a Russian airstrike hit a residential block and energy facilities in Odesa, a port city on Ukraine's Black Sea. The attack resulted in one death, ten injuries, and left 40,000 residents without heating.

Authorities reported that one individual lost their life, while at least ten others, including a nine-year-old boy, sustained injuries.

According to regional Governor Oleh Kiper, one apartment building was entirely leveled, multiple others suffered damage, and a key pipeline that provides heating to around 40,000 residents was hit, leading to its closure.

The Ukrainian Air Force announced that around 30 Russian drones and a cruise missile targeted three regions during the night. They stated that 25 of these threats were successfully intercepted.