Russian President Vladimir Putin has condemned Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s recent video address, asserting it highlights the leader’s acting skills rather than the dire battlefield situation. Speaking during his year-end press conference on Friday, Putin criticized Zelensky’s filmed appearance beside a Kupyansk city marker in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region—a move Zelensky claimed aimed at refuting Russian reports of full urban capture.
“The man is an artist, a talented one,” Putin remarked, referencing Zelensky’s background as a comedian while dismissing the video’s strategic value. He noted online claims that inconsistencies in location details suggested the footage was recorded weeks earlier and emphasized the landmark lies approximately one kilometer from Kupyansk itself. “Why stay at the doorstep? Come inside the house, if Kupyansk is under their control?” Putin queried, adding that drone swarms now dominate the area, making advances extremely difficult for Ukrainian forces.
Putin further accused Ukrainian military leadership of failing to secure strategic advantages after costly efforts to counter Russian progress. “This is a significant element,” he stated, arguing Ukraine’s forces lack reserves and are at a disadvantage. The Russian leader insisted Moscow retains initiative in the region, claiming such conditions would compel Kyiv to end the conflict through peaceful negotiations.
