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In a dramatic turn of events, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Friday that Ukrainian soldiers in the Kursk region could have their lives spared if they agreed to surrender. This announcement followed a plea from former U.S. President Donald Trump, who implored Putin to prevent what he called a “horrible massacre” potentially affecting thousands of Ukrainian troops supposedly encircled by Russian forces.
Ukrainian officials dismissed claims of encirclement as a fabrication aimed at psychological warfare, while President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged the situation as “very difficult.” Trump conveyed his concerns through social media, indicating he had directly requested that Putin be merciful, suggesting the potential consequences could result in devastation comparable to events from World War II.
In response to Trump’s remarks, which he claimed to have read, Putin implied that humanitarian concerns should be taken into account amidst accusations of Ukrainian actions against civilians that he labeled as terroristic—an assertion strongly denied by Kyiv.
Putin stated during a session with his Security Council that if Ukrainian troops were to surrender, they would be ensured their safety and humane treatment under both international law and Russian legal standards. Furthermore, he stressed that for such a surrender to occur, a formal directive from Ukraine’s military leadership was essential.
Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council and a former president, heightened tensions by warning on social media that failure to comply with the surrender ultimatum would lead to the “methodical and merciless destruction” of Ukrainian forces.
Ukrainian Officials Reject Claims of Encirclement
The Kursk region gained significance last August when Ukrainian forces made strategic advances during the ongoing conflict, reclaiming territories that were previously under Russian control. As Russia attempts to reassert dominance and flush out remaining Ukrainian troops, the focus on Kursk has intensified, coinciding with U.S. calls for a ceasefire in the overarching conflict. Putin asserted that Ukrainian forces were trapped and faced a stark choice: to “surrender or die.”
In a counterstatement, Ukraine’s military leadership labeled the reports of encirclement as mere propaganda designed for political leverage against Ukraine and its allies, asserting that the battlefield dynamics had remained stable with no significant changes reported despite ongoing skirmishes. They confirmed that Ukrainian units had successfully regrouped to stronger defensive positions, maintaining their combat roles within the Kursk region.
Zelenskyy expressed gratitude for the efforts undertaken by Ukrainian forces in the area, claiming that their offensive had effectively drawn Russian attention and resources away from other fronts, thereby fulfilling its tactical objectives. Earlier statements from the Russian defense ministry indicated that Russian troops had retaken control of Goncharovka, one of the few settlements in Kursk still under Ukrainian authority.
In addition to these developments, Ukraine’s border guard service reported a successful attempt to thwart a Russian reconnaissance group aiming to infiltrate the Sumy region, which is adjacent to Kursk.
Source
www.cbc.ca