Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Saturday that Russian forces are attempting to encircle Ukrainian troops near the Kursk front, but emphasized that Ukraine's military command is well aware of these plans.

According to Anadolu Agency, Zelenskyy highlighted during a briefing that Russia is seeking to expand its presence on Ukrainian territory. He stated, "I believe that the Russian side wants to encircle Ukrainian forces in the same direction (the Kursk front), but on Ukrainian territory. The important thing is that our forces are aware of this, the command knows, and we clearly understand where they want to do it."

Zelenskyy dismissed reports suggesting that Ukrainian forces were already encircled, labeling such claims as "Putin's lie." He urged Ukraine's international partners to verify the situation through intelligence data and satellite images.

Earlier, Ukraine's General Staff also refuted Russian reports of Ukrainian units being surrounded in the Kursk region, describing them as false and politically motivated.

In a related development, Russian President Vladimir Putin, dressed in military fatigues, visited troops in Kursk earlier this week. He ordered them to swiftly retake the rest of the area from Ukrainian forces and stated that Ukrainian soldiers captured in Kursk should be treated as "terrorists."

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has requested Putin to "spare" the lives of the "vulnerable" Ukrainian troops.