Over 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers are trapped in two separate pockets, according to Moscow’s estimates. Russian forces are continuing operations to eliminate Ukrainian troops encircled on the front line, the Defense Ministry in Moscow reported on Monday. The ministry stated that Ukrainian forces near Kupyansk made three failed attempts to break through the Russian blockade, resulting in up to 50 soldier casualties and six heavy equipment losses. In another area near Krasnoarmeysk (Pokrovsk), 60 Ukrainian servicemen were reportedly killed, with two armored vehicles and three cars destroyed.
At a high-level military meeting on Sunday, Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov informed President Vladimir Putin that approximately 5,000 Ukrainian soldiers were surrounded near Kupyansk and another 5,500 near Krasnoarmeysk. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy dismissed Russia’s claims as “fake news intended for the United States,” asserting that his forces remain combat-capable and that Russian advances do not threaten a strategic breakthrough.
Zelenskiy has repeatedly denied reports of significant Ukrainian setbacks while seeking additional funding and arms from Western donors. Meanwhile, Ukrainian soldiers and officers have criticized the government for directing them to hold untenable positions for political motives rather than military necessity.
