(MENAFN) Russian troops have reportedly secured full control over the eastern sector of Kupyansk, a city of strategic significance in Ukraine’s Kharkov Region, according to the Defense Ministry in Moscow on Tuesday.

Earlier, Kiev denied Russian claims that Ukrainian forces had been surrounded in Kupyansk, asserting that the city’s defense was holding strong.

Moscow responded by suggesting that Ukraine’s President Vladimir Zelensky is “detached from reality.”

The most recent update from the ministry highlighted ongoing Ukrainian efforts “to get through to the encircled units,” an operation that allegedly cost Kiev up to 60 soldiers and 16 pieces of heavy equipment, including armored vehicles, a radar installation, and three electronic warfare systems.

Last week, Zelensky stated that only roughly 60 Russian soldiers were present in Kupyansk, and that Ukrainian forces were actively clearing the area.

Moscow previously claimed that its forces had surrounded Ukrainian units in two distinct pockets along the frontline, including near Kupyansk.

President Vladimir Putin offered Kiev the chance to surrender, but Zelensky rejected this assertion, insisting that Ukrainian troops maintained control in both zones.

He also accused Russia of attempting to deceive Western nations, particularly the United States, on the situation, noting Ukraine’s heavy dependence on foreign assistance for its military operations.

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