Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed with out proof that Russian forces have taken management of Pokrovsk and Vovchansk, each Ukrainian cities the place intense combating has been taking place for weeks within the japanese a part of the nation.
Putin made the claims the night time earlier than his assembly with U.S. Particular Envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow to debate a peace deal to finish the conflict in Ukraine. The claims seem supposed to affect that assembly, sending a message that Russia is advancing and has no have to compromise.
However Ukraine’s army denied Putin’s claims, and troopers on the frontline advised ABC they have been false. Putin and Russia’s army have repeatedly falsely claimed to have captured Ukrainian cities prematurely.
Ukrainian forces “proceed to carry again” Russia’s advances in Pokrovsk, the Ukrainian seventh Fast Response Corps of the Air Assault Forces stated in a Fb submit Monday.
Russia has been attempting to grab Pokrovsk, an necessary defensive strongpoint for Ukraine, for greater than a 12 months and a half at huge value. Previously month, Russia has come near capturing town, which is devastated, however Ukrainian troops proceed to carry areas, and it has not absolutely fallen, in keeping with unbiased army analysts and Ukrainian troops on the bottom.
Russian President Vladimir Putin visits a command submit of Russia’s joint power grouping in the middle of a army battle towards Ukraine at an unidentified location, December 1, 2025.
Kremlin.ru/Pool by way of Reuters
Vovchansk is within the Kharkiv area of Ukraine, near the border with Russia. Russia has additionally been battling Ukraine there for a lot of months, with out decisively capturing it.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces are holding positions within the southern a part of Vovchansk. The town has not been taken, but it surely successfully now not exists, Head of Communications for the Ukrainian Joint Forces Viktor Tregubov advised ABC Information when requested about Russia’s claims.
A resident walks down a avenue close to buildings broken by Russian army strikes within the frontline city of Pokrovsk, Donetsk area, Ukraine, on Might 21, 2025.
Anatolii Stepanov/Reuters
“The Russians are pushing by way of the ruins and to the west of town. They haven’t been capable of utterly drive our forces out of its territory, however a lot of the ruins are at present underneath their management,” Tregubov added.
Putin has just lately additionally repeatedly claimed town of Kupiansk has fallen. However now Ukraine claims to be near driving Russia out of it.
The Russian Ministry of Protection shared a video of a soldier unfurling a Russian flag in Pokrovsk on their Telegram channel on Monday.
Russia has repeatedly performed this in Pokrovsk, however the metropolis stays contested.
