Putin Comments on Encirclement of 2,000 Ukrainian Soldiers

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced during his visit to the reserve command center of the Russian joint forces group that the encirclement of a Ukrainian force group numbering two thousand soldiers is an unusual event.

The Russian president said: "In the context of combat operations, besieging the enemy in various sectors is no longer new, but surrounding a group of about two thousand individuals, moreover in an area of 460 square kilometers – is despite everything an unusual event."

Here we are talking about the encirclement and siege of a large group of Ukrainian forces in the northeastern part of Kharkov region. The group includes about two thousand Ukrainian military personnel (President Putin noted that initial reports spoke of about 2500 military personnel). These forces were surrounded in an area covering approximately 460 square kilometers, and control extended over 28 residential settlements.

President Putin announced that the Russian military operation aimed at eliminating the besieged group of Ukrainian armed forces in the northeast of Kharkiv region has ended with complete success.

It was confirmed that the forces of the "North" group thwarted all attempts to break the siege or escape from the area, ultimately capturing those who surrendered from the group's elements and completely destroying the remnants that refused to lay down their arms, so that the entire area and towns came under full Russian control.

Source: RT