Russia Offers Foreign Press Access to Encircled Ukrainian Areas With Temporary Ceasefires

Overview

• The Russian Defence Ministry said it will ensure unimpeded access for foreign, including Ukrainian, journalists to Kupyansk, Krasnoarmeysk (Pokrovsk) and Dimitrov with five to six hour pauses in fighting and designated safe corridors.
• Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry warned that visiting these locations would violate Ukrainian law and could carry long-term legal and reputational consequences for reporters.
• Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov reported to President Vladimir Putin that about 5,000 Ukrainian troops are encircled near Kupyansk and 5,500 near Krasnoarmeysk.
• Putin instructed commanders to create conditions for the surrender of encircled Ukrainian servicemen to avoid casualties, as state television showed drones dropping leaflets urging troops to give up.
• No major Western outlets have confirmed plans to accept the invitation, and a Finnish analyst cautioned that visiting reporters could face provocations during any ceasefire window.