RESTRICTION: USERS MUST CREDIT “KREMLIN PRESS OFFICE” HANDOUT, MUST NOT OBSCURE LOGO —EDITORIAL USE ONLY—

SHOTLIST:

MOSCOW, RUSSIA (DEC. 19, 2025) (KREMLIN PRESS OFFICE– RESTRICTED)

1. SOUNDBITE (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN SAYING:

“I can’t help but ask you about the following. A week ago, Zelenskyy allegedly released a video filmed against the backdrop of the Kupiansk city stele, but many people immediately noticed, based on various signs, that it was fake and presented what they believe are proofs.

He is an actor, and a talented one—I say this without any irony. We know this from his films back in earlier times, so there is nothing unusual here. They say the steles look completely different now, but that is not the point. The steles are located about a kilometer away from the city itself. So why stand on the doorstep? Go into the house. That’s right. If Kupiansk is under their control.

The sky there, you know, is filled with drones and unmanned aerial vehicles from both our side and the Ukrainian side. It’s simply impossible to approach so casually.”

The time will come when the guys finish their combat work of destroying the encircled group on the northern and eastern bank of the river, turn around and move westward. That will happen fairly soon. They will take everything back. It’s just a matter of time.” MOSCOW, RUSSIA - DEC. 19, 2025 - RESTRICTION: USERS MUST CREDIT “KREMLIN PRESS OFFICE” HANDOUT, MUST NOT OBSCURE LOGO —EDITORIAL USE ONLY— Russian President Vladimir Putin questioned the authenticity of a video allegedly released by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiyy from the eastern Ukrainian city of Kupiansk, speaking at an annual news conference in Moscow on Friday, Dec. 19.

“I can’t help but ask about this,” Putin said. “A week ago, Zelenskyy allegedly released a video against the backdrop of the Kupiansk city stele, but many people immediately saw signs that it was fake and presented what they consider evidence.”

Putin referred to Zelenskyy’s background as an actor, saying, “He is an actor, and a talented one. I say this without any irony. We know this from his films in earlier times, so there is nothing unusual here.”

He argued that the location shown in the video raised questions. “They say the steles look completely different now, but that is not the point,” Putin said. “The steles are located about a kilometre away from the city itself. Why stand on the doorstep? Go into the house. If Kupiansk is under their control.”

Putin said the area remained heavily contested. “The sky there is filled with drones and unmanned aerial vehicles from both our side and the Ukrainian side,” he said. “It is simply impossible to approach so casually.”

He added that Russian forces were continuing military operations in the area. “The time will come when our guys finish their combat work of destroying the encircled group on the northern and eastern bank of the river, turn around and move westward,” Putin said.

“That will happen fairly soon. They will take everything back. It is just a matter of time.”

Ukraine claimed on Wednesday that its forces regained control of nearly 90% of Kupiansk, a strategic railway hub in the Kharkiv region. Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Telegram that troops "pushed back the (Russians) from Kupiansk" through active operations.

This announcement followed Ukrainian military reports that Russian forces in the settlement were now effectively encircled.

The claim directly contradicted Russia’s earlier statement. On Nov. 20, Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov told President Vladimir Putin that Russian forces had taken full control of Kupiansk. Ukraine denied this at the time, with Zelenskyy emphasizing the need for battlefield results to strengthen Kyiv's diplomatic position.

Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov countered Ukraine's new claim on Wednesday, telling officials Ukrainian attempts to take the city were "unsuccessful" and reaffirmed Moscow's control. He said capturing the city would expand the security zone in Kharkiv, as it served as a key Ukrainian supply route.

Independent verification of the situation in Kupiansk remains challenging due to the ongoing war.