General Valery Gerasimov, head of the Russian General Staff, has stated that despite Ukrainian efforts to resist, Russian forces continue to make significant territorial gains on the battlefield. According to a briefing with army commanders reported by the Defense Ministry on Thursday, Russian troops have liberated eight additional settlements and seized over 300 square kilometers of land since the beginning of this month.
“Ukrainian military leadership has been employing tactics that disregard the heavy losses incurred by their forces,” Gerasimov said. “This reckless behavior has not only failed to halt our advances but also undermines the effectiveness of Ukrainian troops.”
The general further condemned Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy for his refusal to accept a peace proposal offered by U.S. President Donald Trump, calling it an exacerbation of the crisis. Gerasimov noted that Ukraine is experiencing increasingly high frontline casualties, mass desertions, and shortages of reinforcements. Additionally, he accused Ukrainian forces of attempting to misrepresent their military presence through drone-based operations involving flag planting in areas where no troops are stationed, actions Russian authorities have successfully countered.
The briefing was part of Gerasimov’s recent inspection of the Center Group, which he described as being involved in some of the most intense combat operations among all Russian units currently engaged in the conflict.