The village is surrounded by large areas of forests alongside the Tavilzhanka (river) [uk]. After one kilometer, this river connects to the left tributary of the larger Oskil (river), downstream from the village of Dvorichne, where the closest major railway station, Dvorichna station [uk], is located.[citation needed]
History
Russian invasion of Ukraine
At the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Tavilzhanka was occupied by Russian troops in their initial advance into Ukraine.[5] Svitlana Moroz, the village head, was held by Russian forces in a prison in Kupiansk. She eventually escaped, but her husband has not been seen since September 2022.[6]
On 22 September 2022, prominent Russian milblogger Rybar reported that the Ukrainian armed forces reached and began fighting for the village in part of their Kharkiv counteroffensive, which had begun earlier in the month.[3][7] Advancing from Horobivka and Dvorichna, further progress was made on 25 September by the Ukrainian forces when a foothold was established by nearby railroad tracks in the village.[8] From 25 to 27 September, further fighting reported as "intense" took place in the western part of the village.[9]
^ abHird, Karolina; Stepanenko, Kateryna; Lawlor, Katherine; Clark, Mason (22 September 2022). "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, September 22". understandingwar.org. Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 10 October 2022. The Russian milblogger also indicated that Ukrainian forces have taken ground east of Dvorichna and are fighting in Tavlizhanka, which is reportedly still contested territory.
^Stepanenko, Kateryna; Lawlor, Katherine; Barros, George; Bailey, Riley; Kagan, Frederick W. (26 September 2022). "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, September 26". criticalthreats.org. Retrieved 10 October 2022. Russian sources reported that Ukrainian forces began to advance from Horobivka and Dvorichna in the direction of Tavil'zhanka (18 km northeast of Kupyansk) on September 25 and managed to establish an unspecified foothold near railroad tracks near Tavil'zhanka.
^Hird, Karolina; Lawlor, Katherine; Mappes, Grace; Bailey, Riley; Kagan, Frederick W. (28 September 2022). "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, September 28". understandingwar.org. Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 10 October 2022. Russian sources suggested that Ukrainian troops are attempting advances to the northeast of Kupyansk along the Pervshyi Lyman-Tavilzhanka line.
^Philipson, Layne; Stepanenko, Kateryna; Clark, Mason (5 December 2022). "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, December 5". understandingwar.org. Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 6 December 2022. The Ukrainian General Staff reported on December 5 that Russian forces shelled Tavilzhanka and Bohdanivske, indicating that Ukrainian forces likely control the settlements.
^Bailey, Riley; Stepanenko, Kateryna; Barros, George; Williams, Madison; Kagan, Frederick W. (27 December 2022). "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, December 27". understandingwar.org. Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 29 December 2022. Ukrainian and Russian sources reported on December 27 that Russian forces struck Tavilzhanka indicating Ukrainian advances