Statements made by Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov regarding the alleged capture of Malokaterynivka in the Zaporizhzhia region do not reflect the actual situation on the battlefield, according to Ukrainian military officials. Ukrainian forces have denied both the alleged capture of the settlement and claims that Russian troops are positioned just five kilometers from Zaporizhzhia.
As Maksym Kravchuk, spokesperson for Ukraine's Southern Group of Forces, told the Center for Countering Disinformation, Malokaterynivka remains under the control of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
To support this statement, servicemen of the 128th Separate Heavy Mechanized Brigade recorded a video directly from the settlement, demonstrating the continued presence of Ukrainian defenders.
Ukrainian military officials also rejected Russian claims that their forces had advanced dangerously close to the regional capital. According to Kravchuk, the distance from the front line to the southern outskirts of Zaporizhzhia is approximately 25 kilometers, rather than the five kilometers claimed by the Russian side.
The Ukrainian military spokesperson also questioned the credibility of other statements issued by Russia's Ministry of Defense regarding the alleged capture of Ukrainian settlements, emphasizing that even easily verifiable claims may contain false information.
The Center for Countering Disinformation emphasizes that such statements are part of Russian information campaigns aimed at creating an exaggerated impression of Russian military successes on the battlefield.