FACT CHECK: Was Putin Telling the Truth About Some More Big Russian Victories in Ukraine?
Putin claimed major Russian gains in Kharkiv and Donetsk regions, including Kozacha Lopan, Sviatohirsk and a 2,000-man “cauldron.” Kyiv Post fact-checked that and found Putin lied. Independent observers and even Russian milbloggers say the Russian leader was just making up military victories.
Russian President Vladimir Putin made claims during a conference in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on September 1, suggesting that Russian forces were making continual advances and capturing new towns and villages in Ukraine. He specifically mentioned that the "North" grouping of forces had created a security zone along the Russian-Ukrainian border in the Sumy and Kharkiv regions, capturing 14 settlements, including Kazachya Lopan and Sviatohirsk.
Additionally, Putin reported that a pocket of 2,000 Ukrainian troops was encircled in northeastern Kharkiv, encompassing an area of 460 square kilometers, including 27 settlements. However, these claims have been found to be mostly false or unverifiable by Kyiv Post research.
Written by urgent.news from Kyiv Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
