| Oskil | |
|---|---|
 Oskil near Kruhliakivka | |
 Donets river basin. The Oskil (red) is the northernmost large tributary | |
| Native name | |
| Location | |
| Country | Russia, Ukraine |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Mouth | Donets |
• coordinates | 49°06′00″N 37°24′31″E / 49.1001°N 37.4087°E / 49.1001; 37.4087 |
| Length | 472 km (293 mi) |
| Basin size | 14,800 km2 (5,700 sq mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Progression | Donets→ Don→ Sea of Azov |
The Oskil or Oskol[1] (Ukrainian: Оскiл; Russian: Оскол) is a south-flowing river in Russia and Ukraine. It arises roughly between Kursk and Voronezh and flows south to join the Siverskyi Donets which flows southeast to join the Don. It is 472 kilometres (293 mi) long, with a drainage basin of 14,800 square kilometres (5,700 sq mi).[2]
The river has its sources on the Central Russian Upland, and flows through Kursk and Belgorod Oblasts in Russia, and through the eastern part of Kharkiv Oblast in Ukraine, where it joins the Seversky Donets river. An artificial lake, the Oskil Reservoir, was created in 1958 to help with flood protection and as a source of electricity.[citation needed]
There are several towns along the Oskil: Stary Oskol, Novy Oskol and Valuyki in Russia, and Kupiansk, Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi, Kivsharivka, Borova and Dvorichna in Ukraine.[citation needed]
History
Russo-Ukrainian war
 | This section appears to be slanted towards recent events. (December 2025) |
On March 31, 2022, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Oskil Dam was destroyed.[3] In September of 2022, to resist the 2022 Ukrainian Kharkiv counteroffensive, Russian forces unsuccessfully used the Oskil River as a defensive barrier, only managing to hold a small portion of territory along the river in northeastern Kharkiv oblast.[4][5]
Following the counteroffensive, the frontline stalled along the northeastern sector of the river in Ukraine. However, in late 2024, Russian forces restarted offensive operations in the area, making several attempts to recross the Oskil river.[6] On January 9, 2025, Russian forces successfully established a bridgehead across the Oskil river, southeast of Dvorichna.[7] Following this, Russian forces steadily advanced across the river, eventually capturing Dvorichna, and using their bridgehead as a launch post for advancing onto Kupiansk.[8][9]
References
- ^ "Stary Oskol". Encyclopaedia Britannica.
It lies along the Oskol River.
- ^ «Река Оскол», Russian State Water Registry
- ^ "Endangered birds, new ecosystems, and a bunch of lakes: how the former Oskil Reservoir lives a year after the destruction". Rubryka. August 23, 2023.
- ^ David Axe (27 September 2022). "The Ukrainian Army Reportedly Destroyed Another Russian Division". Forbes. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
- ^ Hernandez, Marco; Lu, Denise (2022-09-21). "Can Ukraine Break Through Again?". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-09-21.
- ^ "Ukrainian forces advance near Vuhledar, Russian troops capture two villages near Pokrovsk and Kurakhove". New Voice. Retrieved 2025-09-15.
- ^ "Russian Forces Establish Bridgehead Across Frontline River in Eastern Ukraine". The Moscow Times. 9 January 2025.
- ^ "Russian military reports capture of new village in eastern Ukraine". Reuters. 30 January 2025.
- ^ "A Russian Tank Army Is Poised To Attack Kupyansk—But First It Needs To Cross The Oskil River". Forbes. 5 February 2025.
External links
- Oskil (Oskil) River in the Encyclopedia of Ukraine vol. 3 (1993)
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 | This Kursk Oblast location article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
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