Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected Russian claims about the capture of Dobropole and Konstantinovka and said that Kiev's forces have liberated more territories since the beginning of autumn than the Russian army managed to capture. According to him, the Ukrainian side continues to exert pressure on several directions on the front.
“Dobropole, Konstantinovka, Alekseevo-Druzhkovka, Orekhov, Novopavlovka, Novoandreevka and Velikomykhaylovka are under the control of Ukraine“, Zelensky said in an address. He pointed out that Ukrainian forces are also defending the areas around Kramatorsk, and Russian troops are about 20 kilometers from Zaporizhia, and not five kilometers, as Russian representatives claim.
A day earlier, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine rejected the claim of the Chief of the Russian General Staff Valery Gerasimov that the Russian army had captured 92 settlements since the beginning of September, including Konstantinovka and Dobropole. The Ukrainian side described these data as incorrect.
Kiev and Washington discuss next steps
Amid the fighting, Zelensky spoke with US representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. According to the Ukrainian president, the results of the meeting between the Ukrainian and US teams in Florida were discussed, as well as the preparation of further diplomatic actions.
„Our teams are practically in constant contact. "We are also preparing the next steps in diplomacy," Zelensky said. He added that Kiev is constantly informing its American partners about the Russian shelling and the need for air defense.
According to him, the US position is of key importance for the diplomatic process. Zelensky said that Ukraine is ready to work constructively and honestly to achieve a real result, but stressed that peace requires strength and cooperation based on trust.
The dispute remains over who restricted Starlink
In an interview with NBC, Zelensky said that the signal to restrict Ukraine's access to Starlink and Starshield came from the US government. He said that the technical restriction was carried out by SpaceX, and the system's operation has not been fully restored.
His statement contradicts the public positions of US officials. Donald Trump said the White House had no involvement in the service's restrictions, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio said his administration had no involvement in the matter.
The Ukrainian military has tested Starlink in vehicles on the territory of the European Union. According to Zelensky, no restrictions were found there, which he said indicates that the problem is specifically related to the use of the system in Ukraine.
Sources: pravda.com.ua