Ukraine Dismisses Encirclement Claims

Ukraine's general staff refuted claims about its troops being surrounded in Russia's Kursk region. Allegations came from U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, but Ukraine assured that its forces repositioned defensively. No credible source for these encirclement claims was identified.

Ukraine's general staff has officially dismissed recent comments suggesting that Kyiv's forces are encircled in Russia's Kursk region, asserting that there is no such threat and that the units have been repositioned to more advantageous defensive locations.

The claims, which surfaced on Friday, were made by U.S. President Donald Trump, who stated without offering specifics, that thousands of Ukrainian troops were trapped by Russian military forces. Similarly, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed on Thursday that Ukrainian forces were isolated in the Kursk region.

Ukraine's general staff has not attributed these comments to any verified source, thereby questioning the authenticity of the encirclement allegations and reaffirming its stance on the strategic positioning of its troops.

(With inputs from agencies.)