The municipality was abolished in July 2020, as part of administrative reforms in Ukraine, which reduced the number of raions in Kharkiv Oblast to seven.

[9] Later Kupiansk became the de facto seat of the Russian-backed Kharkiv military-civilian administration[10] and an important logistical supply route.

[11] At Kupiansk town hall, the Ukrainian flag continued to be flown for 6 weeks, and at the medical school for 3 months.

On the same day, the Russian occupation authorities claimed that "the Russian army began to defend the city" and that "additional reinforcements entered the region from Russia", indicating that Ukrainian forces were re-approaching the city from the west, after retaking the town of Shevchenkove earlier that day.

[citation needed] By the morning of 10 September 2022, Ukrainian forces had recaptured the city council building.

[15] By September 26, Ukrainian Forces liberated Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi, the sister city of Kupiansk located on the left bank of the Oskil River.

[16] On 3 March 2023 Ukrainian authorities ordered an evacuation of civilians from the city due to advances of Russian Armed Forces around Kupiansk and Bakhmut.

[18][19] In particular, the central city hospital, high-rise buildings and a lyceum,[20] the Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi railway station[21] and others were damaged.

[32] On 14 November 2024, two Russian armoured vehicle columns advanced into the city from the northeast,[33][34] though reportedly had tenuous control over the area.