Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed without evidence that Russian forces have taken control of Pokrovsk and Vovchansk, both Ukrainian cities where heavy fighting has taken place for weeks in the eastern part of the country.
Putin made the claims the night before his meeting with US special envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow to discuss a peace deal to end the war in Ukraine. The claims appear intended to influence that meeting, sending a message that Russia is moving forward and has no need to give in.
But Ukraine’s military denied Putin’s claims and soldiers on the front line told the ABC they were false. Putin and the Russian military have repeatedly falsely claimed to have prematurely captured Ukrainian cities.
Ukrainian forces “continue to slow down” Russian advances in Pokrovsk, the 7th Rapid Response Corps of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces said in a Facebook post on Monday.
Russia has been trying to seize Pokrovsk, a major defensive strongpoint for Ukraine, for more than a year and a half at enormous cost. In the past month, Russia has come close to capturing the devastated city, but Ukrainian troops continue to hold areas and it has not fallen completely, according to independent military analysts and Ukrainian troops on the ground.
Russian President Vladimir Putin visits a command post of Russia’s joint forces group during a military conflict against Ukraine at an unidentified location, December 1, 2025.
Kremlin.ru/Pool via Reuters
Vovchansk is located in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine, near the border with Russia. Russia has also been fighting Ukraine there for many months, without decisively capturing it.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine maintain positions in the southern part of Vovchansk. The city has not been taken, but it effectively no longer exists, Ukrainian Joint Forces communications chief Viktor Tregubov told ABC News when asked about Russia’s claims.
A resident walks on a street near buildings damaged by Russian military strikes in the frontline town of Pokrovsk, Donetsk region, Ukraine, May 21, 2025.
Anatolii Stepanov/Reuters
“The Russians are advancing through the ruins and towards the west of the city. They have not been able to completely expel our forces from their territory, but most of the ruins are currently under their control,” Tregubov added.
Putin has also recently repeatedly claimed that the city of Kupiansk has fallen. But now Ukraine claims to be close to getting Russia out of there.
The Russian Defense Ministry shared a video on its Telegram channel on Monday of a soldier unfurling a Russian flag in Pokrovsk.
Russia has done this repeatedly in Pokrovsk, but the city remains disputed.
