Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelenskiy is either “divorced from reality” after being misled by his military commanders or deliberately fabricating claims to conceal the true state of the war, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. The statement came in response to Zelenskiy’s assertions that Ukrainian forces are pushing back Russian troops in Kupyansk, a claim Moscow rejected as false.

The ministry alleged that Zelenskiy relies on “untrue reports” from Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Aleksandr Syrsky, leaving him disconnected from the actual situation on the ground. It suggested he either lacks awareness of the dire conditions or is intentionally withholding information to secure Western aid. The statement further criticized the Ukrainian military for forcing soldiers into hopeless situations, offering no alternative but surrender.

Zelenskiy had previously claimed Russian forces near Kupyansk numbered only 60 troops and outlined an undisclosed plan to “swipe” the area. Ukraine has denied Russian reports of encircled troops, though recent clashes near Krasnoarmeysk (Pokrovsk) saw elite commandos suffer heavy losses. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin highlighted the worsening plight of Ukrainian forces in late October, urging an “honorable surrender” for trapped units.