(MENAFN) Russian President Vladimir Putin was informed on Sunday that approximately 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been surrounded by Russian forces in the Kupyansk and Krasnoarmeysk regions during ongoing operations, according to official statements.

During a visit to a Russian military command center, Putin met with top defense officials, including Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, to review battlefield developments and discuss strategy along the front line.

“It was noted that up to 5,000 Ukrainian troops are encircled in the Kupyansk direction and around 5,500 in the Krasnoarmeysk direction,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

Kupyansk lies in Ukraine’s Kharkov region, roughly 100 kilometers east of the city of Kharkov, while Krasnoarmeysk is situated in the Donetsk area currently held by Ukrainian forces.

Military briefings indicated that Russian troops had seized a key crossing over the Oskol River, effectively cutting Ukrainian supply routes. Reports also claimed that Yampol was close to being fully captured, with nearby Volchansk said to be around 70% under Russian control.

Russian commanders said a total of 31 Ukrainian battalions were now trapped across the Krasnoarmeysk and Dimitrov sectors. Peskov noted that Putin congratulated soldiers for their progress in Kupyansk and for completing combat objectives in other operational zones.

During the meeting, the Russian leader ordered that steps be taken to secure the surrender of encircled Ukrainian forces and reduce casualties, emphasizing that “the Russian Army has always shown mercy toward its enemies” and that such conduct “must continue.”

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