Ukrainian Brigadier General Andrii Biletskyi has released a video filmed in the center of Sviatohirsk, directly contradicting Russian President Vladimir Putin’s claim that the city had been captured. Standing with the Holy Dormition Lavra visible behind him, Biletskyi addressed Russian military and political leaders. He stated that the 60th Mechanized Brigade of the 3rd Army Corps holds full control of the town and described it as a Ukrainian rear area. The recording shows ongoing civilian activity and challenges the accuracy of recent Russian statements about advances in Donetsk region.

On September 1, Putin asserted during a press conference that Russian forces had taken control of 14 settlements, including Sviatohirsk. The Russian Defense Ministry repeated the claim. Biletskyi’s response, published by the 3rd Army Corps, rejects those assertions outright. “Take off your clown noses and colourful wigs. Stop making fools of yourselves,” he said in the video. The general’s appearance in the city center serves as visual evidence intended to counter official Russian narratives about territorial gains.

Independent mapping projects such as DeepState continue to show Sviatohirsk under Ukrainian control. Ukrainian regional officials have also confirmed that the city remains in Kyiv’s hands, though it faces regular shelling because of its proximity to the front line near Sloviansk. The situation on the ground is described as difficult, with ongoing threats to residents and infrastructure. Local authorities have urged evacuations where possible while Ukrainian forces maintain defensive positions.

Biletskyi’s decision to film the video in person underscores the Ukrainian military’s effort to push back against what it views as exaggerated or false Russian claims. By placing himself in the center of the contested town and identifying the unit responsible for its defense, he provided a clear, on-the-ground counterpoint. The recording has circulated widely as part of the broader information contest surrounding the war. It highlights the gap between official statements from Moscow and the reality reported by Ukrainian commanders and independent observers.

The 60th Mechanized Brigade’s role in holding the area reflects the continued fighting along this section of the front. Sviatohirsk’s location makes it strategically relevant, yet Ukrainian forces maintain that it functions as a rear zone rather than a newly contested urban battlefield. Regular artillery and guided bomb attacks keep pressure on the community, but control of the town itself has not changed hands according to available evidence. The general’s message aims to clarify the situation for both domestic and international audiences.

As the war continues, such public refutations have become a recurring feature of the conflict’s information dimension. Biletskyi’s video adds to a series of Ukrainian responses that use direct footage and blunt language to challenge Russian announcements of territorial success. For now, the city remains under the control of Ukrainian units, with the general’s appearance serving as the latest public demonstration of that fact.