Moscow, 26 October 2025 (dpa/MIA) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has emphasized his country's military strength during a meeting with military leaders.

In a video released by the Kremlin on Sunday, Putin, wearing military uniform, said that the armed forces had achieved numerous successes in the war against Ukraine and confirmed the successful test of the long-range, nuclear-powered Burevestnik missile. The meeting took place at a command centre at an undisclosed location.

Putin was first briefed by Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov on the current situation on the front. According to Gerasimov, Ukrainian troops in the cities of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region and Kupiansk in the Kharkiv region have been surrounded.

According to him, 5,000 Ukrainian soldiers are affected by the encirclement in each case. This information could not be confirmed independently.

The Ukrainian military analysis portal DeepState reported that Russian forces had formed only a semi-circle from the north-east to the south-west around Pokrovsk. The fighting around the city has been raging for months.

In the briefing with Putin, the military also reported that the Burevestnik missile, capable of being armed with a nuclear warhead, was tested during the latest manoeuvres by Russian nuclear forces on October 21.

Gerasimov said that the missile was in the air for 15 hours and travelled a distance of 14,000 kilometres. Putin praised the missile as a "unique product that no one else in the world has."

The Russian president called on the chief of staff to create the infrastructure to introduce the new weapon into the armed forces.

Putin first mentioned the development of the intercontinental nuclear-armed cruise missile in 2018. Several tests are said to have taken place since then.