Ukraine has denied statements by Russia’s General Staff claiming the alleged “capture” of Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi in the Kharkiv region, saying the settlement remains under the control of the Ukrainian Defense Forces.
The denial was issued by Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation under Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council.
According to Kovalenko, Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov continues to construct a “parallel reality” for Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
“Gerasimov is reinforcing Putin’s parallel reality. Another lie about the capture of Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi is quite funny, since the Russians do not control either Kupyansk or Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi,” he said on Telegram.
Kovalenko added that Ukrainian forces are approaching a complete purge of Russian troops in the Kupyansk area.
“But Gerasimov is bringing Putin a lie on a piece of paper about ‘control of Kupyansk’ and even ‘Vuzlovyi,’” he said.
According to Kovalenko, Moscow’s goal is to create the illusion of “breakthroughs on the front” for the Russian domestic audience – advances that do not exist in reality.
He also warned that Russia plans to scale this disinformation to Western audiences through bot networks, counting on the fact that foreign readers may not fully understand the geography and the real situation in the Kharkiv region.
Ukraine’s Joint Forces Group also denied Russia’s claims of capturing the settlement.
“Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi is not only not under the control of the invaders, it is not even adjacent to the direct line of contact. The Joint Forces Group continues to be amazed by the ability of Russian generals not only to exaggerate their achievements, but to invent them from scratch,” the statement said.
The group also mocked Gerasimov, dryly noting that under international humanitarian law, prisoners of war (POWs) in Ukraine are entitled to qualified medical care – including treatment by “narcology specialists.”
According to DeepState data as of Monday, Jan. 26, Russian troops remain between 11 and 15 kilometers (7-9 miles) from Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi to the north, east, and south.
Gerasimov reportedly visited a command post of Russia’s “West” group near Kupyansk on Tuesday, Jan. 27, where he commented on the situation at the front.
He claimed that since the beginning of January, Russian forces had taken control of 17 settlements and advanced over 500 kilometers (about 311 miles).
In his briefing, Gerasimov not only referred to the alleged occupation of Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi, but also cited other areas of supposed progress.
“Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi has been liberated [captured]. City quarters are being inspected and cleared. Combat operations are underway in the settlements of Kovsharivka and Hlukhivka,” the Russian general claimed.
According to Gerasimov, up to 800 Ukrainian servicemembers remain in what he described as a “blocked area” measuring 4 by 6 kilometers.
He also claimed that Russia’s “East” group of forces is advancing in eastern Zaporizhzhia region and that part of its troops are conducting combat operations to establish a “security zone” in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
“In January, four settlements came under our control. The Dnipro group of troops is advancing in the general direction of Zaporizhzhia,” Gerasimov said.
“The forward units are located 12-14 kilometers (about 7-9 miles) from the southern and southeastern outskirts of the regional center. Novoyakivlivka has been liberated [captured]. In total, four settlements have been taken under the control of the group during January,” he added.
However, the DeepState combat map as of Jan. 25 presents a different picture.
According to analysts, the red zone – fully controlled by Russian forces – is located in Stepnohirsk, approximately 19 kilometers (about 12 miles) from the outskirts of Zaporizhzhia city.
A gray zone, where Russian activity has been recorded, lies about 12 kilometers away near the village of Prymorske and stretches along the E-105 highway.
Novoyakivlivka, which Russia claims to have captured, does not appear in either the gray or red zones on the map. The settlement is located roughly 22 kilometers (about 14 miles) from Zaporizhzhia city as the crow flies.
The most recent changes in this sector were recorded on Jan. 14-15, when Russian forces advanced in Stepnohirsk and near Stepove.
Ukraine’s General Staff, reporting on the frontline situation as of Tuesday morning, also addressed developments in the Orikhiv sector.
According to its data, Russian forces launched two attacks in the area over the past day, near Prymorske and Stepnohirsk.
Earlier, on Jan. 17, Southern Command spokesperson Vladyslav Voloshyn said that Russia had transferred new airborne units to the Orikhiv and Huliaipole areas in Zaporizhzhia region, after existing units there had been “severely crushed.”
On Dec. 26, 2025, Putin claimed that Russian forces were allegedly just 16 kilometers (10 miles) away from Zaporizhzhia.