The Russian army informed President Vladimir Putin that more than 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been encircled near Kupyansk and Krasnoarmeysk.
President of Russia Vladimir Putin was briefed on the progress of the Russian army during a visit to the command headquarters, where he was told that more than 10,000 Ukrainian troops had been surrounded in the areas of Kupyansk and Krasnoarmeysk.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Putin held a meeting with Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov and senior military commanders, during which he received a report on the situation along the front line.
“In the direction of Kupyansk, up to 5,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been encircled, while about 5,500 are surrounded in the direction of Krasnoarmeysk,” said Peskov.
Geographical context and the significance of the areas
Kupyansk is a city in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, about 100 kilometers east of Kharkiv. Krasnoarmeysk is located in the Donetsk region, a part of the territory controlled by Ukrainian forces.
Russian forces captured the Oskol River crossing
According to military reports, Russian troops captured a crossing over the Oskol River, cutting off the movement of Ukrainian forces. It was also reported that the “liberation” of Yampol is nearing completion, while the nearby Volchansk is “70% liberated,” according to the same sources, reports RT.
Encircled Ukrainian units
A total of 31 Ukrainian battalions are reportedly surrounded in the areas of Krasnoarmeysk and Dmitrov. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that President Vladimir Putin congratulated the troops on their “success in Kupyansk and the completion of combat missions on other fronts.”
Putin’s orders – surrender and protection of civilians
During the meeting with commanders, Putin ordered measures to enable the surrender of the encircled Ukrainian forces and to minimize casualties. He emphasized that “the Russian army has always shown mercy toward its enemies” and stressed that this practice must continue.
Putin also called on the commanders to do everything possible to ensure the safety of civilians in the encircled areas, claiming that Ukrainian forces are using those civilians as “human shields.”
Continuation of the operation according to the General Staff’s plan
The President of Russia emphasized that the military operation should continue “in accordance with the General Staff’s plan” and added that the safety of Russian soldiers must remain “an absolute priority.”
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Source: kurir, FOto: HOGP/Russian Presidential Press Offic