During the meeting, Zelensky heard reports from the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) and the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) of Ukraine on the possibility of the aggressor country Russia to continue the war and the plans of the occupiers for the coming months.
“[Начальник ГУР] Kirill Budanov reported on the situation on the threatening directions of the front, on Russia’s military preparations and the deadlines that the occupier is counting on. Currently, Russia has failed another specific [нелегитимным президентом России Владимиром] Putin set the deadline for the capture of Pokrovsk and Kupyansk, and the deadlines were once again postponed. [Глава СВР] Oleg Ivashchenko reported on the political situation in Russia, the mood in their society and in the environment of the leader of the aggressor state, as well as the economic situation,” Zelensky informed.
According to the president, conclusions were drawn based on the information received, the main directions of defense of Ukraine in the coming weeks and the addition of the defense plan for the winter months were determined.
“We will continue to apply our long-range sanctions – special services, and first of all, the Security Service of Ukraine and the Ukrainian army have corresponding tasks. We are preparing to coordinate with key partners in diplomatic work, taking into account the update in assessments of the situation. We are preparing measures that can ensure diplomatic activation,” he noted.
Context
On October 22, the Russian publication “Verstka” wrote that the command of the Russian army had already promised Putin the capture of Kupyansk, Kharkov region, and Pokrovsk, therefore, in order to improve the positions of the occupying forces, Moscow is delaying the peace negotiation process.
On October 26, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov reported to Putin about the alleged encirclement of Ukrainian troops near Kupyansk and Pokrovsk. Zelensky, the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Igor Klimenko, and later the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Alexander Syrsky denied the Russian information.
On November 10, a video circulated on social networks in which Russians, in the fog, entered Pokrovsk in a whole column of motorcycles, cars, and simply on foot – and no one stopped them along the way. It was recorded on the southern outskirts of the city – from the village of Novopavlovka and the exit to Selidovo, the media noted.
On November 11, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Alexander Syrsky reported to President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky about large-scale assaults by the Russian Federation on the territory of Pokrovsk and in the Zaporozhye region.
As of the morning of November 13, Syrsky stated that there was no talk of Russian control over Pokrovsk or the operational encirclement of defense forces. Zelensky in an interview Bloomberg admitted that the situation in Pokrovsk is “very difficult.” He suggested that Ukraine could leave Pokrovsk – but not the whole east.
On November 14, units of the Special Operations Forces destroyed the concentration of personnel of the 51st Army of the Russian Federation, whose task was to encircle Pokrovsk. On the same day, the head of the communications department of the Joint Forces group, Viktor Tregubov, said that less than fifty occupiers remained in Kupyansk, cut off from the main forces, with disrupted logistics, under constant pressure from Ukrainian units.
