Russian general who claimed Russia fully occupied Kupiansk went missing, Zelenskyy says
Photo: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (president.gov.ua)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in an interview with PAP, said a Russian general who recently briefed the Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin on the occupation of Kupiansk in the Kharkiv region went missing. He may be the same person who was found dead in recent days.
On November 20, Russian Colonel-General Sergei Kuzovlev briefed Putin that the Russian army had fully occupied Kupiansk. However, on December 12, Zelenskyy visited the city and recorded a video, disproving Russia's claims of full occupation.
Regarding the general, it appears the president was likely referring to him.
"Putin often spoke about control over cities... We saw videos where the general reported their capture. Later, I went to Kupiansk. The situation was indeed difficult, and the front line was very close. However, our Armed Forces control Kupiansk," Zelenskyy said.
He added that recent reports indicated the Russian general had been found dead, and he does not rule out that this is the person he had in mind.
"Then this general disappeared, who knows where. Yesterday or the day before, there was news that he had died. I think this is the same general. Every piece of information needs to be verified ten times, but if he went missing, I would not be surprised," the president concluded.
Frontline situation
A few days ago, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi said Ukrainian troops pushed Russian troops out of Kupiansk and took control of almost 90% of the city's territory.
According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russia continues to exaggerate its successes on the front lines, claiming to have captured more than 6,300 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory in 2025. Analysts said Russia's claims do not reflect reality.
