Ukrainian commander refutes Putin's claim on Sviatohirsk control

Ukrainian commander Andriy Biletsky denied Russian President Vladimir Putin's claim that Russian forces captured Sviatohirsk, showing the city remains under Ukrainian control. Biletsky, commander of the Third Army Corps, walked through the city center to the Sviatohirsk Lavra, demonstrating that the 60th Mechanized Brigade fully controls the settlement. He urged Russian leadership to "take off their clown noses" and stop looking foolish. Putin made the claim on September 1, 2026, during a press conference in Bishkek, stating Russian troops had taken Sviatohirsk and were advancing toward Oskol. Biletsky's video showed civilians calmly walking and the city serving as the corps' rear zone.