Trump envoy lands in Russia as Putin hails ‘important’ capture of Pokrovsk, although claim is disputed by Kyiv
Russia-Ukraine war – latest news updates
Vladimir Putin has claimed Russian forces have taken control of the strategic city of Pokrovsk in Ukraine, as he sought to project confidence before a key meeting on Tuesday with a US delegation to discuss a possible peace deal to end the war.
Dressed in military fatigues during a visit to a command centre on Monday evening, the Russian president hailed what he called the “important” capture of Pokrovsk – once a major logistical hub for the Ukrainian army – though Ukrainian officials later disputed the claim.
“I want to thank you. This is an important direction. We all understand just how important,” Putin told his top brass in a video released by the Kremlin. “It will ensure solutions going forward to the tasks that we initially set at the beginning of the special military operation,” he added, using the Kremlin’s preferred term for its nearly four-year invasion.
