Russia said Tuesday that it has retaken more than 100 square kilometers — almost 40 square miles — of territory in its southwestern Kursk region, as it aims to push Ukrainian forces out of Russia.
Moscow’s counteroffensive appears to be moving swiftly in the area, where Ukraine launched its shock incursion last August, swiftly capturing territory in what was the first ground invasion of Russia by a foreign power since World War II.
The Russian advances are also threatening Kyiv’s sole territorial bargaining counter, as talks between top US and Ukrainian officials are underway 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 claimed Tuesday.
The Russian Defense Ministry named the settlements as: 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, said in an update on Monday that “Russian forces are consolidating their gains in Kursk Oblast and likely preparing to attack Sudzha in the coming days,” with advances in central Martynovka, which is northeast of Sudzha.
“Ukrainian forces are counterattacking along the international border,” ISW’s report added.
Russian naval infantry forces as well as “up to two battalions of North Korean forces are reportedly attacking south of Sudzha near Kurilovka and Guyevo,” according to ISW.
Military bloggers from both sides have recently said Ukraine is now on the back foot.
