Russian leader Vladimir Putin claimed Ukrainian forces were “surrounded” in Kupiansk and invited journalists to see it—but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy showed up there himself, as Ukrainian forces carried out a successful counteroffensive in the city.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the city of Kupiansk in the Kharkiv region, contradicting Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s claims that the city is surrounded by Russian forces.
“Today, it is extremely important to achieve results on the front lines so that Ukraine can achieve results in diplomacy.
That’s how it works: all our strong positions within the country are strong positions in the talks on ending the war,” Zelenskyy stated.
He reflected on the importance of the Kupiansk region, noting that many Russian forces had previously focused on this area.
Zelenskyy also marked Ukraine’s Ground Forces Day on December 12, thanking soldiers for their unwavering dedication to the country’s defense.
Putin also claimed that Russian forces had “managed to block about 15 Ukrainian Armed Forces battalions” in the Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi area, even inviting journalists to “come and see the surrounded Ukrainian army units.”. »