Ukraine's General Staff rejects Gerasimov's claims of capturing Dobropillia and advancing on Kramatorsk

Ukrainian General Staff spokesperson Andriy Kovalov firmly rejected Russian military chief Valery Gerasimov's assertions about advances in key regions of Ukraine. In a statement on Oct. 17, Kovalov labeled Gerasimov's claims as lies and manipulation aimed at misleading both military and political audiences. He disputed reports that Russian forces had seized over 1,800 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory since September 2026.

Instead, Kovalov highlighted that Ukrainian forces had liberated more land since the start of the conflict than the Russians had gained. Claims that Russian troops had captured cities like Dobropillia, Kostiantynivka, and the village of Oleksiievo-Druzhkivka, as well as moving closer to Kramatorsk in Donetsk Oblast, were also rejected.

As of Oct. 17, Ukrainian control persisted in Dobropillia, with ongoing fighting in Kostiantynivka, while Oleksiievo-Druzhkivka remained under Ukrainian control, Kovalov confirmed. Gerasimov's assertion that Russian forces were just 5 kilometers from Zaporizhzhia was also found to be false by the General Staff. The front line in that region had been approximately 22 kilometers from the regional capital for an extended period.

On Oct. 16, Russian President Vladimir Putin boasted during a visit to Russia's Joint Grouping of Forces command post that troops had captured about 6,500 square kilometers of territory since the year's beginning. Yet, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) disputed these figures, reporting that Russia had actually lost 122 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory since Sept.

1. The Kremlin's false claims sparked outrage, even among pro-war Russian military bloggers who, while sharing the statements, largely condemned them as an "outright disgrace."