Illusion of Victory: Russian Military Lies to Putin About Major Frontline Successes

The Russian command is systematically misleading the Kremlin about the course of hostilities in northern Ukraine, claiming the capture of settlements that Ukrainian forces deny. ISW analysts found no confirmation of advances. The goal is to create an illusion of victory and push the West to abandon support for Kyiv. Zelensky accuses Putin of lying and manipulation; Kyiv is ready to freeze the front line, but Moscow rejects negotiations.

The Russian military command is systematically misleading the Kremlin about the actual results of hostilities in northern Ukraine. This is the conclusion reached by analysts at the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) after assessing the latest reports from the front. The Northern Grouping of Russian Forces claimed the capture of several settlements in Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts, including Nova Sich, Mala Slobidka, Mohrytsia, and Verivka. However, the Ukrainian Defense Forces completely refuted these data, and ISW experts recorded no redeployment of forces, accumulation of equipment, or real advance by the occupiers in the indicated areas. According to experts, this disinformation campaign pursues several goals: the military reports to Putin a false picture of a successful offensive, and the Kremlin broadcasts these fake successes to the US and Western countries, creating the illusion of Russia's imminent victory and pushing the West to abandon military aid to Ukraine. Against this backdrop, President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized that the Russian dictator is openly lying and engaging in dangerous manipulations in contacts with the Trump administration. At the same time, Kyiv confirmed its readiness to freeze the line of contact and resume dialogue, conveying its conditions through intermediaries, but Moscow continues to reject the proposal for direct peace negotiations.