Russia announced on Tuesday that it has reclaimed more than 100 square kilometers (nearly 40 square miles) of territory in its southwestern Kursk region, intensifying its push to expel Ukrainian forces from Russian soil.
This development comes as part of a broader counteroffensive by Moscow, which appears to be making significant strides in the area. The region became a focal point of the war last August when Ukraine launched a surprise incursion, swiftly seizing territory in what was the first ground invasion of Russia by a foreign power since World War II.
As Russian forces advance, their gains are also threatening Kyiv’s only territorial bargaining chip, especially as high-level talks between U.S. and Ukrainian officials are currently taking place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
“The units of the North group of troops during the offensive liberated 12 settlements and more than 100 square kilometers of the Kursk region,” the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.
The settlements that have reportedly been recaptured include: Agronom, Bogdanovka, Bondarevka, Dmitriukov, Zazulevka, Ivashkovsky, Kolmakov, Kubatkin, Martynovka, Mikhailovka, Pravda, and Yuzhny.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a Washington-based think tank, reported on Monday that Russian forces are consolidating their gains in the Kursk region and preparing to launch further offensives, with a potential attack on Sudzha in the coming days. The ISW also noted that Ukrainian forces are mounting counterattacks along the international border.
Further complicating the situation, Russian naval infantry forces, along with up to two battalions of North Korean troops, are reportedly advancing south of Sudzha near Kurilovka and Guyevo. According to military sources, Ukraine appears to be on the defensive in the face of these coordinated Russian advances.
The ongoing military clashes signal a turning point in the conflict as both sides brace for the next phase of the war.
