Oskil

{{redirect|Oskol}} {{For|the settlement in Ukraine|Oskil (village)}} {{Infobox river | name = Oskil | native_name = {{native name list |tag1=ru|name1=Оскол |tag2=uk|name2=Оскiл}} | image = Oskil near Kruhliakivka.jpg | image_caption = Oskil near Kruhliakivka | map = Seversky Donets oskil.png | map_caption = Donets river basin. The Oskil (red) is the northernmost large tributary | mapframe = yes | mapframe-zoom = 5 | subdivision_type1 = Country | subdivision_name1 = Russia, Ukraine | length = {{convert|472|km|abbr=on}} | source1_location = | source1_elevation = | source1_coordinates = | mouth = Donets | mouth_elevation = | mouth_coordinates = {{coord|49.1001|37.4087|region:UA|display=it}} | discharge1_avg = | progression = {{RDonets}} | basin_size = {{convert|14800|km2|abbr=on}} | tributaries_left = | tributaries_right = | extra = }}

The '''Oskil''' or '''Oskol'''<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|quote=It lies along the Oskol River.|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Stary-Oskol |title=Stary Oskol|encyclopedia=Encyclopaedia Britannica}}</ref> ({{langx|uk|Оскiл}}; {{langx|ru|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 {{convert|472|km}} long, with a drainage basin of {{convert|14800|km2}}.<ref name=gvr>[http://textual.ru/gvr/index.php?card=171556 «Река Оскол»], Russian State Water Registry</ref>

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.{{cn|date=December 2023}}

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.{{cn|date=December 2023}}

==History== ===Russo-Ukrainian war=== {{recentism section|date=December 2025}}

On March 31, 2022, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Oskil Dam was destroyed.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Endangered birds, new ecosystems, and a bunch of lakes: how the former Oskil Reservoir lives a year after the destruction |publisher=Rubryka |date=August 23, 2023 |url=https://rubryka.com/en/article/oskilske-vodoshovyshhe-cherez-rik-pislya-rujnuvannya/}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Ukrainian Army Reportedly Destroyed Another Russian Division|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2022/09/26/the-ukrainian-army-reportedly-destroyed-another-russian-division|author=David Axe |work=Forbes |date=27 September 2022 |access-date=27 September 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Hernandez |first=Marco |last2=Lu |first2=Denise |date=2022-09-21 |title=Can Ukraine Break Through Again? |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/09/21/world/europe/ukraine-maps-momentum.html |access-date=2022-09-21 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ukrainian forces advance near Vuhledar, Russian troops capture two villages near Pokrovsk and Kurakhove |url=https://english.nv.ua/nation/russia-seizes-two-villages-near-pokrovsk-and-kurakhove-in-donetsk-oblast-isw-maps-50470648.html |access-date=2025-09-15 |website=New Voice |language=en}}</ref> On January 9, 2025, Russian forces successfully established a bridgehead across the Oskil river, southeast of Dvorichna.<ref>{{cite web |date=9 January 2025 |title=Russian Forces Establish Bridgehead Across Frontline River in Eastern Ukraine |url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/01/09/russian-forces-establish-bridgehead-across-frontline-river-in-eastern-ukraine-a87550 |website=The Moscow Times}}</ref> Following this, Russian forces steadily advanced across the river, eventually capturing Dvorichna, and using their bridgehead as a launch post for advancing onto Kupiansk.<ref>{{cite web |date=30 January 2025 |title=Russian military reports capture of new village in eastern Ukraine |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russian-military-reports-capture-new-village-eastern-ukraine-2025-01-29/ |website=Reuters}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=5 February 2025 |title=A Russian Tank Army Is Poised To Attack Kupyansk—But First It Needs To Cross The Oskil River |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2025/02/05/a-russian-tank-army-is-poised-to-attack-kupyansk-but-first-it-needs-to-cross-the-oskil-river/ |website=Forbes}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [http://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com/pages/O/S/OskilRiver.htm Oskil (Oskil) River] in the [http://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com Encyclopedia of Ukraine vol. 3 (1993)]

{{Rivers of Ukraine}} {{BelgorodOblast-geo-stub}} {{KurskOblast-geo-stub}} {{Kharkiv-geo-stub}} {{Russia-river-stub}} {{Ukraine-river-stub}}

Category:International rivers of Europe Category:Rivers of Belgorod Oblast Category:Rivers of Kursk Oblast Category:Rivers of Kharkiv Oblast