Russia’s top military command has made false claims about the battlefield situation for the fifth straight month, baselessly saying its forces are advancing west of Kupyansk in Kharkiv Oblast even though they have not captured the city, the Institute for the Study of War said in its May 16 report.
Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov met on May 16 with commanders of the Western Group of Forces and made a series of false claims about the situation in the Kupyansk, Borova and Lyman sectors.
Gerasimov claimed, among other things, that Russian troops were advancing west of Kupyansk toward Shevchenkove. ISW said the claim could create the false impression that Russian forces had already captured Kupyansk and controlled territory farther west of the city.
Gerasimov also claimed Russian troops had entered Velyka Shapkivka, captured all of Borova and Kutkivka, and seized half of Shykivka and 85% of Lyman.
ISW said it found evidence confirming that Russian troops do not hold fortified positions in Kupyansk and that only a few Russian infiltrators remain in the city. The analysts also found no evidence that Russian forces hold positions in Velyka Shapkivka, Shykivka, Kutkivka or Lyman.
Instead, ISW said the evidence shows Russian forces have entered only 14.2% of Kupyansk, 6.5% of Kutkivka and 0.06% of Lyman. The institute assesses that Russian troops are currently at least 2 kilometers from Shykivka and 4 kilometers from Velyka Shapkivka.
Gerasimov described...
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