General Staff denies Ukrainian units 'surrounded' in Kursk region

The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces announced this on Facebook, Ukrinform reports.

"Reports claiming that the enemy has allegedly 'surrounded' Ukrainian units in the Kursk region are false and are being created by the Russians for political purposes and to exert pressure on Ukraine and its partners. The situation has not changed significantly in the past 24 hours. Combat operations in the operational zone of the Kursk Group of Forces continue," the statement said.

The General Staff said that Ukrainian forces had regrouped, retreated to more advantageous defensive positions and continued to perform their tasks in the Kursk region.

"Our soldiers are repelling the enemy's offensive actions and delivering effective fire damage with all types of weapons. Since the beginning of the current day, there have been 13 combat engagements in the Kursk sector. There is no threat of encirclement of our units," the General Staff concluded.

U.S. President Donald Trump claimed on Friday that he had had "very good and productive" discussions with Vladimir Putin the day before, which confirmed the possibility of ending the war in Ukraine. He stressed that "at this very moment, thousands of Ukrainian troops are completely surrounded by the Russian military." He also added that Ukrainian forces were "in a very bad and vulnerable position."