Putin orders to provide foreign media access to encircled Ukrainian forces

Moscow, Oct 30 (PTI) Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the Defence Ministry to provide safe access to foreign media to cover the actual situation of encircled Ukrainian troops in three areas.

“The Russian Ministry of Defence has received an order from the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Federation to ensure unimpeded passage for foreign journalists, including Ukrainian ones, who request access to the Ukrainian Armed Forces Command to visit the areas where Ukrainian troops are encircled in Krasnoarmeysk, Dimitrov, and Kupyansk,” the Defence Ministry said in a statement released by official news agencies TASS and RIA Novosti.

“The Russian command is prepared, if necessary, to cease hostilities for 5-6 hours in these areas and to provide unimpeded entry and exit corridors for groups of foreign media representatives, including Ukrainian ones, subject to security guarantees for both journalists and Russian military personnel,” the statement added.

On Sunday, in his briefing for President Vladimir Putin, Chief of the General Staff Gen Valeri Gerasimov said more than 10,000 Ukrainian troops have been encircled and blocked following pincer movement of advancing Russian troops.

State TV has been showing Russian drones dropping leaflets urging Ukrainian troops to surrender to avoid unnecessary bloodbath. PTI VS GSP GSP