Putin Is Briefed on the ‘Capture’ of Pokrovsk and Volchansk

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russian forces had established control over Pokrovsk in Donetsk region and over Vovchansk in Kharkiv region. According to Peskov, Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov reported these new gains to the president during his visit to a command post on Monday.

Ukraine’s General Staff rejects Russia’s claims of capturing Pokrovsk and Vovchansk, stating that Russian forces merely planted their flags there to film videos.

In addition, Putin told senior military officials that Russia needs a “security zone along the border with Ukraine within the area of responsibility of the ‘North’ grouping.” In practice, this implies seizing adjacent parts of Kharkiv, Sumy and Chernihiv regions.

Russian forces currently hold a small bridgehead in northern Sumy region and continue pushing forward in several border areas of Kharkiv region, including around Vovchansk.