Ukrainian military refutes Trump's encirclement claims in Kursk
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine dismissed claims of Ukrainian units being encircled by enemy forces in the Kursk region, stating that such reports were inaccurate. This response directly addressed Donald Trump's remarks, in which he referred to the "encirclement and difficult situation" of Ukrainian soldiers.
Ukrainians called the reports repeated by Trump "fabricated by Russians for political manipulation and to pressure Ukraine and its partners."
The statement further noted that the situation had remained essentially unchanged over the past day, with combat operations continuing in the operational zone of the "Kursk" force group.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine highlighted that Ukrainian Defense Forces had successfully regrouped, moved to more favorable defensive positions, and continued to carry out their assigned tasks in the Kursk region. They emphasized that Ukrainian soldiers effectively repelled enemy attacks and inflicted substantial losses using all available weapon systems.
The military also indicated that 13 clashes have occurred in the battle area since the morning, but "there is no risk of encirclement."
Trump's statement
Donald Trump announced on social media Friday morning Eastern Time that he had engaged in excellent and productive discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin the previous day.
"There is a very good chance that this horrible, bloody war can finally come to an end — BUT, AT THIS VERY MOMENT, THOUSANDS OF UKRAINIAN TROOPS ARE COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY THE RUSSIAN MILITARY, AND IN A VERY BAD AND VULNERABLE POSITION," Trump emphasized, referring to talks by Steve Witkoff, who spoke with Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday evening.
