Ukraine's Biletskyi from Sviatohirsk: City Fully Under Ukrainian Control, Contradicting Putin

Ukrainian Brigadier General Andriy Biletskyi, commander of the Third Army Corps, released a video from central Sviatohirsk in Donetsk Oblast, stating the city is fully controlled by Ukrainian forces. This directly contradicts Russian President Vladimir Putin's claims of capturing the town. In the video, filmed against the backdrop of the Sviatohirsk Lavra monastery, Biletskyi addressed Russian military and political leadership, urging them to stop making false claims. He confirmed that the 60th Mechanized Brigade fully controls the city, describing it as a secure rear area and showcasing peaceful civilian life. On September 1, Putin had boasted that Russian forces captured 14 Ukrainian settlements, including Sviatohirsk and Kozacha Lopan, claims echoed by Russia's Defense Ministry. Ukrainian military officials have also denied the capture of Kozacha Lopan in Kharkiv Oblast, and DeepState maps do not show these areas under occupation.