Zelenskyy on fighting in Kupiansk: Situation tough but Ukrainian forces have more control

Situation on the front

The head of state said he had a detailed conversation with Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi and Chief of the General Staff Andrii Hnatov about the situation in all directions.

According to Zelenskyy, the most difficult situation is observed in the Pokrovsk direction, where the intensity of fighting remains the highest and a large number of Russian troops are concentrated.

He noted that the Russian forces are trying to gain a foothold in the Pokrovsk direction by any means, and every Russian soldier eliminated there is a result for all of Ukraine.

"The situation in Kupiansk remains difficult, but in recent days our forces have more control, and we continue to defend our positions," the President said.

He added that dozens of assaults were recorded over the past 24 hours in the Oleksandrivka direction.

Long-range operations

Zelenskyy also said he discussed planning long-range operations in detail with Syrskyi and Hnatov. Currently, the only scenario is to force Russia to end the war, which can be achieved through global sanctions and Ukraine's long-range operations.

He emphasized the importance of Ukraine's recovery after Russian strikes and coordination with international partners.

"And most importantly, the support of our army, all components of Ukraine's defense and security forces, because Ukraine is where Ukrainian positions are strong," he added.

Putin’s statements

Previously, Russian President Vladimir Putin was told that the Russian army had allegedly surrounded Ukrainian forces in the Kupiansk and Pokrovsk directions.

Today, he proposed the idea of inviting foreign and Ukrainian media to Pokrovsk and Kupiansk to prove the supposed encirclement of Ukrainian troops.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko stated that the situation in Kupiansk has stabilized, and Ukrainian forces continue to defend their positions.