Kiev: «Russian proclamations of conquests are a weapon of disinformation»
A few hours after the meeting between Presidents Zelensky and Trump in Mar a Lago, Florida, Ukraine rejects Russia’s latest claims on the capture of key cities such as Myrnohrad, in the Donetsk region, and Huliaipole, in the Zaporizhzhia region. These are “false” statements, commented the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to a command post in the occupied territories of Ukraine, where he was informed that Moscow had taken control of Myrnohrad, Huliaipole and several other settlements. According to what was reported by the Kyiv Independent website, the General Staff rejected the Kremlin’s claims, calling them “a weapon of disinformation”, in view of today’s peace talks between Ukraine and the United States. The situation in both areas is “difficult”, the Ukrainian army acknowledged, but defense operations remain active and ongoing. The General Staff also reported that reports of Russian control over half of Kostiantynivka in Donetsk Oblast are “an invention.” “It is obvious that the lies of the Russians are mainly aimed at foreign partners and have significantly intensified during the peace talks,” the Ukrainian military noted. “However, Russian disinformation will not affect Ukraine’s position and future diplomatic work,” the same source stressed. Putin’s visit to the front, reported by Russian state media, took place on the eve of the meeting between President Zelensky and his US counterpart Trump. The Russian leader used the visit to reiterate Moscow’s maximalist goals, which include control of the entire Donbass region of Ukraine. After hearing the “report” on Russia’s alleged progress, Putin said that Moscow’s interest in a negotiated Ukrainian withdrawal from the occupied territories is “reduced to zero” and that Russia is ready to achieve all its goals of full-scale invasion by force of arms if Kiev “does not want to end the matter peacefully.” Kyiv Independent pointed out that Russian authorities have a long tradition of publicly proclaiming progress on the battlefield before actually making it happen. Since November, Moscow has claimed that its forces fully occupy the city of Kupiansk in Kharkiv Oblast, despite evidence to the contrary, including Zelensky’s visit to the city in December. The town of Myrnohrad, located about five kilometers northeast of Pokrovsk, has been the scene of fierce fighting in recent weeks, with Russian troops deploying additional reserves in an attempt to completely surround the town. Huliaipole, once one of the most stable areas of the front line, has recently been threatened by Russia’s rapid advance into eastern Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
