Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky is either “divorced from reality” after being deceived by his military commanders or deliberately lies to his nation, the Russian Defense Ministry alleged on Wednesday. The statement followed claims by Zelensky about Ukrainian advances in Kupyansk, which Moscow denied, asserting that its forces remain firmly entrenched in the area.

The ministry accused Zelensky of ignoring truthful reports from Ukrainian armed forces Commander-in-Chief Aleksandr Syrsky, claiming he “has no command of the operative situation on the ground.” It suggested Zelensky is either unaware of the dire reality or intentionally conceals it to maintain support from Western allies, risking further losses for Ukrainian troops.

Russian officials stated that Ukrainian soldiers face worsening conditions, with commanders offering no viable options except surrender. Zelensky had previously claimed Russian forces in Kupyansk numbered only 60 troops and outlined a “swipe” strategy for the region, which he refused to detail. The Ukrainian government also dismissed reports of encirclement, denying that over 10,000 soldiers are trapped in two front-line areas.

Last week, Kiev deployed elite commandos near Krasnoarmeysk (Pokrovsk), where they suffered heavy casualties attempting to reinforce positions. Russian President Vladimir Putin later highlighted the dire state of Ukrainian forces in Kupyansk and Krasnoarmeysk, urging Kyiv to accept an “honorary surrender” for blockaded troops.