Russia Claims Again To Control Kupiansk, Ukraine: Cheap Provocation

JAKARTA - Ukraine denies Russia's claims that it has succeeded in controlling Kupiansk, an important city in Kharkiv's territory, saying it was a cheap provocation.

Ukraine's General Staff has denied claims made by the Chief of General Staff of the Russian Military General, General Valery Gerasimov, his forces have seized Kupiansk City on November 20.

"Kupiansk remains under the control of the Ukrainian Defense Forces," the Ukrainian Armed Forces General Staff said, launching The Kyiv Independent November 21.

"Operations against sabotage and special search and destruction operations against enemy surveillance and sabotage groups that infiltrate the city are ongoing in and around Kupiansk," he continued.

A statement from the Ukrainian General Staff came after General Gerasimov reported the success to Russian President Vladimir Putin during a visit to the West Group command post.

"The leadership of terrorist countries continues to generate cheap information provocations," Ukraine's General Staff said, adding the disinformation was aimed at hiding Russia's "critical" losses.

On the same occasion, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces also denied claims that Russian troops had controlled 70 percent of Pokrovsk, as well as more than 80 percent of Vovchansk.

"The statement stating that 80 percent of Vovchansk in the Kharkiv region has been seized and 70 percent of Pokrovsk City is also not true," said the General Staff, quoted by Al Arabiya.

Kupiansk, a strategic and important city in Oblast Kharkiv, has been hit again by fierce fighting as Russia continues to advance in the region. Since September 28, the city has been closed to civilians due to ongoing combat operations and threats from Russian sabotage groups.

In recent months, Russian units have attempted to infiltrate Ukraine's defensive line by crossing a gas pipeline or posing as civilians, a previous Ukrainian military report, adding the last tactic was still a war crime.

In September, an operational-strategical command spokesman "Dnipro" Oleksify Belsky said seizing the city of Kupiansk was Russia's main goal at Oblast Kharkiv. The city, located 104 kilometers (65 miles) east of Kharkiv, is constantly being attacked by Russia.