Ukraine Finally Recaptures 'Key Donbas City'. Z-Soldiers are Encircled. Horses Redefine Battlefield - The Russian Dude

[TexasTowelie]

Ukraine has regained control over key positions in Kupiansk, exposing yet another gap between Kremlin propaganda and battlefield reality. Once hyped by Russian state media as a decisive Donbas stronghold and a supposed turning point of the war, Kupiansk has quietly slipped back under Ukrainian control through methodical counter-actions, disrupted Russian supply routes, and the isolation of forward Russian units now facing encirclement without reliable resupply. There were no dramatic announcements or victory parades—just proof on the ground that Ukrainian forces outlasted Russian momentum while Moscow abandoned both the narrative and the soldiers tied to it. At the same time, the frontlines are revealing something even more unsettling: as drones, surveillance, and precision strikes dominate the battlefield, Russian units are increasingly relying on horses, donkeys, and mules to move supplies and personnel. This isn’t innovation—it’s a symptom of collapsing logistics under constant drone observation, where vehicles are too visible and losses are treated as expendable. Ukrainian forces, by contrast, use such methods only sparingly and deliberately. Together, Kupiansk’s quiet recapture, stranded Russian troops, and the reappearance of animals on a modern battlefield paint a clear picture of a war growing more desperate, more improvised, and far removed from the polished narratives pushed on television.