(MENAFN) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday of attempting to portray “false victories” through hybrid means as Russia struggles to make progress on the battlefield, according to reports.

Zelenskyy claimed that Putin finds himself “in an impasse” and is compensating for stalled military advances by using non-military tactics such as cyberattacks, energy pressure, and political interference across Europe.

“Putin is in an impasse when it comes to real successes on the battlefield. The situation looks more like a stalemate for him,” Zelenskyy said on Telegram, noting that Ukrainian troops continue to defend their land and independence.

He said that Russia’s repeated strikes on Ukraine’s energy network are part of an effort to manufacture “the illusion of progress” and persuade the Russian public that the Kremlin still holds control. “All the energy attacks are dangerous – to demonstrate: ‘Look, I supposedly have a plan – there we pressure with weapons, and here we attack,’” Zelenskyy said.

According to Zelenskyy, Putin is also working to inflame nationalist sentiment inside Russia and to destabilize European nations through cyber operations and election interference. “He wants to find some operations he can present as successes – drones, an energy attack on us, or a cyberattack on Germany, the United Kingdom, France, or an attack on choice, political choice, during elections,” he added.

Zelenskyy characterized these efforts as part of a “hybrid war in Europe,” stressing that Ukraine continues to bear “the highest price” as the conflict rages on its territory.

There has been no official response from Moscow to Zelenskyy’s remarks.

The war, which began in February 2022, remains ongoing despite diplomatic efforts to end it, according to reports.

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