On October 27, the Russian Defense Ministry said that Russian forces continued the campaign to neutralize all groups of Ukrainian soldiers surrounded in the two frontline areas, after Ukraine showed no signs of a concession.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the Ukrainian army near the city of Kupyansk has tried to break the Besiege three times but failed, killing about 50 soldiers and destroying six heavy vehicles.
Meanwhile, in another area near Krasnoarmeysk, about 60 Ukrainian soldiers were believed to have died, along with 2 armored vehicles and 3 cars destroyed.
At a high-level military meeting on October 26, Russian Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov reported to President Vladimir Putin that about 5,000 Ukrainian soldiers were being held near Kupyansk and that 5,500 others were stranded in many areas near Krasnoarmeysk.
During the meeting, Mr. Putin ordered the implementation of measures to pressure the Ukrainian army to surrender and reduce casualties, while emphasizing that the Russian army always shows humanity to the opponent and that "must be maintained".
The Russian leader also asked the armed forces to continue the campaign according to the plan of the General Staff, and affirmed that ensuring the safety of Russian soldiers must be a top priority.
For his part, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed the Russian statement, calling it "fake news", while asserting that the country's army is still capable of fighting and that Russian attacks do not threaten to cause a strategic breakthrough.
Mr Zelensky has repeatedly denied reports of major losses to Ukraine, continuing to call on European allies for additional financial and arms assistance.
Notably, this is not entirely the same as what the Ukrainian soldiers told domestic and Western media outlets. They mostly say the government forces them to hold positions that cannot be held firm for political reasons rather than military needs.
