CCD debunks Russian claims of alleged capture of Huliaipole and Myrnohrad
The Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD) under Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council stated this on Facebook, Ukrinform reports.
"Propaganda outlets are widely spreading statements by Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov about the alleged liberation of Huliaipole and Stepnohirsk in Zaporizhzhia region and Myrnohrad in Donetsk region. In reality, these claims are false," the statement said.
According to CCD head Andrii Kovalenko, "fighting for Huliaipole and Myrnohrad is ongoing, Russian forces have no control over these cities, they have failed to entrench themselves, and the destruction of enemy assault groups continues amid heavy battles."
Kovalenko also stressed that reports about the capture of Stepnohirsk are untrue. Heavy fighting continues there as well; Russia has committed significant resources in an attempt to seize the settlement but does not control it.
"The purpose of this information operation is to create the illusion of victories for a Western audience and to conceal the real losses and failures of the Russian army at the front. As in the case of fake reports about Kupiansk, these statements have nothing to do with the actual situation," the CCD emphasized.
As reported earlier, on November 20, Russian Armed Forces Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov reported to Putin the alleged capture of Kupiansk in Kharkiv region, which was refuted by Ukraine's Defense Forces.
On December 12, President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Kupiansk, congratulated defenders on the Day of the Ground Forces, and presented state awards.
On December 26, Viktor Trehubov, head of the communications department of the Joint Forces Grouping, said that in the Kupiansk direction Russian troops are trying to compensate for their failures near the city, but without success, while clearance operations against the enemy continue in Kupiansk itself
