AFU mocks Putin after dictator claims encirclement near non-existent river

"We are convinced that the Russian president is better acquainted with the combat capability of his own troops than we are, so we suggest treating the battles for Stary Oskol as an announcement on his part," the statement read.

In an interview with propagandists from the Russian media outlet Vesti on June 28, Putin claimed that the Armed Forces of Ukraine were "almost surrounded" near the Stary Oskol River. However, Stary Oskol is not a river, but a city in Russia's Belgorod Oblast, located over 100 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.

"Unfortunately, as of now, we are only working on advancing toward this city, which, as is well known, is located in the northeast of Russia's Belgorod Oblast," the Joint Forces Group stated.

There is no river named Stary Oskol. There is, however, the Oskol River, which flows through the territory of Russia and Ukraine's Kharkiv Oblast; it is the largest left tributary of the Siverskyi Donets and belongs to the Don basin. Putin likely meant this river when commenting on the situation in Kharkiv Oblast.

On June 28, at a speech at the United Russia party congress, Putin complained that the West is "testing" Russia's strength and voiced a fabrication regarding Ukraine's retreat.