 Koopyansk. This small Ukrainian town is now the focus of brutal Russian assaults. Russia has claimed for the second day running to have improved its fighting positions around Koopyansk. A small town in eastern Ukraine that in recent days has become the focus of a determined assault by the Kremlin's forces according to Kiev post-media outlet. It is noted that Koopyansk is a town located in the Kharkiv region of eastern Ukraine with a pre-war population of around 28,000 people. Koopyansk is a major rail hub with five different lines intersecting in the town, one of which leads directly into Russia, making it a hugely important strategic objective when Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The town was occupied just three days after the start of Russia's offensive, largely thanks to its pro-Russian mayor, Hennadiy Medsehorov, who surrendered Koopyansk without a fight. But it was liberated later. The Kiev post said that Ukrainian forces, fully aware of how important the rail link was to the Russians, destroyed a key rail bridge into the town attempting to slow the Russian advance. Medsehora allegedly helped them find another route into the town. Meanwhile, Koopyansk became the de facto seat of the Russian-backed Kharkiv military-civilian administration. Russia has dramatically increased its shelling of both Koopyansk and the Ukrainian forces' positions, defending it in recent days. The enemy has intensified shelling of border settlements and those close to the front line and continues terrorizing the local population, including with airstrikes. Oleh Sinukubov, the head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, said at this stage, nothing can be ruled out and retaking Koopyansk would clearly be a significant achievement for Russia. Not only would it mean the re-establishment of the train link with Russia, but the Kremlin would be sure to make the most of the propaganda potential of recapturing territory liberated by Ukraine in last year's counter-offensives.