Ukraine's armed forces reject Putin's statements on Kupiansk
Illustrative photo: there are no encirclements near Kupiansk and Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi (Getty Images)
The Armed Forces of Ukraine have denied claims by Russian President Vladimir Putin about the alleged "encirclement of 15 battalions" in Kupiansk, as well as statements by Russian General Valery Gerasimov regarding the occupation of the town in the Kharkiv region, according to Viktor Trehubov, head of the Communications Department of the Joint Forces Group, whose area of responsibility includes Kupiansk and Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi.
Trehubov noted that the settlement of Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi covers just four square kilometers. Therefore, it is physically impossible to encircle 15 battalions there.
"Sciences like physiology and geometry make it impossible to encircle 15 battalions there. Overall, it seems Vladimir Putin has chosen a tactic of 'never surrender, embarrass yourself to the end,'" he said.
Trehubov also commented on the claim of the alleged "liberation of Kupiansk." He refuted Gerasimov's statements, noting that as of the evening of November 20, there had been no breakthroughs by Russian forces into the town.
"The situation remained stable: some Russian forces were scattered across the northern districts of the town. Who they could have encircled there, I have no idea," he summarized.
The Ukrainian General Staff also responded to Putin's statements, debunking his lies and stating that Kupiansk is currently under Ukrainian control.
"The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports that Kupiansk is under the control of Ukraine's Defense Forces. Counter-sabotage operations and special actions to locate and eliminate enemy sabotage and reconnaissance groups that infiltrated the town are ongoing in the town and its surroundings," the statement said.
On November 20, Putin and Russian General Staff Chief Valery Gerasimov claimed the encirclement of 15 Ukrainian battalions in Kupiansk and simultaneously claimed the "liberation" of the town.
This was at least the second attempt in less than a month to fabricate an "encirclement." On October 26, during a meeting, Putin was told by his generals that Ukrainian forces were encircled in certain areas. Kupiansk was among the cities mentioned as "encircled," and Putin even wanted to invite media representatives to Kupiansk.
Despite the claims of Putin and Gerasimov, the real situation in Kupiansk is as follows: the Russian presence has significantly decreased. Russian forces are cut off from logistics, and overall, the Ukrainian Armed Forces estimate that only about 50–100 Russians are remaining in the town.
