US President Donald Trump has called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to “spare” Ukrainian troops, reportedly surrounded in Russia’s Kursk region. However, there is no evidence to support this claim, even from Russian sources.
Trump’s appeal and Putin’s response
In a recent post, Trump stated that he had personally requested Putin to show leniency towards Ukrainian forces allegedly trapped in a so-called “cauldron” in Kursk region. “I have strongly requested to President Putin that their lives be spared,” Trump wrote on TruthSocial, without providing further details on the source of this information.
During a government meeting, Putin acknowledged receiving a request from the United States regarding the situation. He characterised Ukrainian soldiers as terrorists but asserted that Russia does not engage in acts of sadism. He stated that the request would be considered and indicated that those who surrendered would be guaranteed humane treatment.
While this exchange between Trump and Putin has gained traction in media discussions, the key issue remains: there is no encirclement of Ukrainian forces in Kursk region.
Contradictory reports and lack of evidence
The claim of a Ukrainian encirclement in Kursk contradicts multiple sources, including Russian pro-government military correspondents and analysts. Many of them have expressed surprise at the narrative, as it does not align with operational realities on the ground. Even the Russian General Staff’s own statements do not support the claim.
Ukraine had previously conducted a cross-border operation into Kursk region, which lasted for approximately seven months. At its peak, Ukrainian forces controlled over 1,000 square kilometres of Russian territory.
However, as Russian reinforcements arrived and pressure increased, Ukrainian troops gradually withdrew to Sumy region in Ukraine. Notably, this withdrawal occurred in an organised manner, without reports of heavy fighting or direct clashes at the time of retreat.
Reports indicate that Ukrainian forces left the area, preserving most of their equipment and combat structure. Rearguard units covered the withdrawal, a standard military practice. Contrary to Russian claims, there were no large-scale Ukrainian casualties or mass surrenders.
Exaggerated figures and dubious claims
Russian officials, including Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, have provided conflicting statistics on Ukrainian losses. Putin initially claimed that 5,000 Ukrainian troops were encircled, while Gerasimov later reported that 67,000 had been killed.
The discrepancy in numbers is striking, as such a casualty count would imply the destruction of multiple Ukrainian army corps, a scenario unsupported by any independent assessments.
Russian military bloggers and war correspondents have also questioned the credibility of these numbers. If such heavy losses had indeed occurred, there would be extensive battlefield evidence, including large numbers of bodies, abandoned vehicles, and destroyed positions. Instead, visual evidence from the region shows only limited Ukrainian equipment losses, mainly damaged or abandoned vehicles.
Similarly, Russian media has highlighted the capture of some Ukrainian equipment, including a damaged M1 Abrams tank and an M777 howitzer. However, these limited captures do not suggest the kind of large-scale defeat that Moscow is attempting to portray.
Why did Trump get involved?
Trump’s intervention has raised questions about his sources of information and the motives behind his appeal to Putin. As President of the United States, he has access to reliable intelligence, which should enable him to verify battlefield realities.
His public plea to Putin may therefore be a political manoeuvre rather than a reflection of actual military conditions.
One possibility is that Trump is seeking to create an opportunity for Putin to present himself as merciful, allowing Russia to release a handful of Ukrainian prisoners while claiming a larger victory.
If this were the case, the move could serve to reinforce Trump’s narrative of being able to negotiate with Putin, a theme that has surfaced repeatedly in his political messaging.
The broader strategic context
With Ukraine having withdrawn from Kursk region, Russian forces are now shifting their focus towards Sumy region.
Reports indicate that Russia has amassed around 56,000 troops in the area and is attempting to push further into Ukrainian territory.
During the same government meeting where Putin discussed Trump’s request, he also mentioned plans to establish a “buffer zone” in Ukrainian border regions, suggesting further incursions could follow.
Despite these developments, the overall situation on the front lines has stabilised in recent weeks. Apart from the Sumy region, Russian offensives on other parts of the front have stalled. If this trend continues, Ukraine may be able to secure its defensive positions and maintain a relatively stable front line.
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