The purpose of the suspension is to create conditions for reporters, including foreign press, to record on the field.
On October 29, President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia was ready to temporarily suspend the military campaign against Ukrainian units stationed in Kupyansk (Kharkov region) and Krasnoarmeysk (under the Donetsk People's Republic), while journalists approached the area.
The Russian leader said that Russian forces have completed the complete blockade of Ukrainian troops in the two strategic regions mentioned above, and affirmed that Russia "will not open fire" while the media is working.
We are ready for the press - including foreign media outlets - to enter this area. During that time, military activities will be suspended, Putin said.
According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, about 5,000 Ukrainian soldiers are being surrounded in the Kupyansk region, and 5,500 others in Krasnoarmeysk. These are considered the two biggest surroundings since the beginning of 2025, marking a new escalation in the conflict.
Mr. Putin also sent a direct message to Kiev: "Ukraine's political leadership needs to soon make a decision on the fate of those who are being surrounded. Any provincial acts during the time the press was present at the scene will be unacceptable.
Previously, Russian Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov was the first to announce that the Russian army had "locked" the enemy's retreats and was "clearing" the last resistance breaches around the two strategic cities.
Meanwhile, Ukraine has denied the reports of this "double siege". President Volodymyr Zelensky continues to call for more financial and arms aid from the West, while affirming that the situation is still under control.
However, many Ukrainian soldiers interviewed by Western news agencies said they were given a reinforcement order under force majeure conditions, to serve political goals rather than military strategy.
