At a plenary session of the Valdai Discussion Club, Russian President Vladimir Putin reported on significant successes of the Russian armed forces in the Kupyansk direction in the Kharkiv region, where, according to him, two large centers of the Ukrainian army were blocked. In total, as the Russian leader emphasized, about 10 thousand servicemen of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were surrounded.

Putin noted that Russian troops continue to hold positions in the area and are taking steps to strengthen the blockade lines. He also expressed confidence that this result is an important tactical victory that demonstrates the effectiveness of military operations in eastern Ukraine.

Speaking to participants of the Valdai Club, the head of state stated that these successes are of great importance in the context of the overall strategy aimed at achieving the goals set during the special military operation.

It should be noted that 10 thousand people are comparable to the size of a division, which is a critical problem for the Ukrainian side.