Ukraine's angry reaction: The order concerns Trump...

"The armed forces of Ukraine have not received any orders to hold the Kursk region until Trump's inauguration until a future 'exchange,'" Kovalenko said.

He labeled the reports circulating in the media as false, emphasizing that Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region are conducting combat missions that are in line with the broader strategic goals of the front line, according to the Kyiv Post.

"These missions affect the situation on several other fronts, including the positioning of Russian forces," he said, adding that such orders "in principle cannot be issued to the army."

Kovalenko's reaction came after news broke that Ukrainian forces in Russia's Kursk region had been instructed to hold their positions until the inauguration of Donald Trump on January 20, 2025.

It is a BBC report based on the statements of Ukrainian soldiers contacted via Telegram. Yesterday it was reported that the BBC was in contact with several soldiers serving in Kursk via Telegram. They agreed on the condition of anonymity to share their perspective on the situation.

They reportedly spoke of the terrible weather conditions and chronic lack of sleep caused by the constant Russian bombardment, which includes the use of terrifying 3,000kg glide bombs. BBC journalists contacted the Ukrainian soldiers who have been in the area since August, when they suddenly invaded the border area, and the messages that came from there reveal the dark and even angry mood of the troops under the command of Kyiv, who are wondering what they are still doing there.

"The situation is getting worse every day. We don't see the goal. Our country is not here," Ukrainian soldiers say.

The BBC reports that nearly four months after Ukrainian forces launched a lightning offensive in Russia's Kursk region, messages from soldiers fighting there paint a bleak picture of a battle they don't understand and fear they could be losing.

However, Andriy Kovalenko denied all these allegations.