Moscow announced on Thursday that the Ukrainian army has initiated a new offensive in the Russian Kursk border region, coinciding with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s commendation of his troops engaged in operations on Russian territory. This day marks six months since Ukraine executed a surprising ground assault, seizing numerous settlements along the Russian border as well as significant areas of land.
In response, Russia has been gradually reclaiming some of the lost territory, but Ukraine remains steadfast in its control over parts of the region, viewing this as a vital asset for future peace negotiations. The Russian defense ministry reported that its forces successfully thwarted what they described as a Ukrainian counter-offensive, which reportedly took place near the villages of Ulanok and Cherkasskaya Konopelka, situated southeast of the regional center of Sudzha, currently under Ukrainian control.
According to Russian sources, the Ukrainians deployed two mechanized battalions, along with tanks and armored vehicles, in their latest assault attempt. Ukrainian officials have yet to comment on this recent offensive. However, President Zelensky has publicly praised his troops’ efforts in the Kursk region, granting state awards to several military units involved. In a statement shared via social media, he asserted, “The occupier can and should be beaten on its territory,” and elaborated on the operation, emphasizing the principle of “peace through strength” as a means to secure ongoing military support from Ukraine’s allies in the West.
The Ukrainian military also announced that during the past six months of operations in the area, they had captured 909 Russian soldiers. Zelensky highlighted this achievement in a video address, stating, “We have significantly replenished our exchange fund — hundreds and hundreds of Russian soldiers whom we are exchanging to bring Ukrainians back from captivity.” This follows a recent prisoner-of-war exchange where both sides released 150 captives.
Local discontent among the residents of Kursk has been rising, with families expressing frustration over the plight of loved ones stuck across the front lines. In a meeting with the governor of Kursk, President Vladimir Putin acknowledged the challenging circumstances currently faced by the region’s residents.
The Ukrainian incursion represents the first time in modern history that a foreign army has penetrated Russian soil since World War II, marking a significant setback for the Kremlin nearly three years into its full-scale military operation. Oleksiy Dmytrashkivsky, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian military in Kursk, noted in a phone interview that only “a little more than 1,500 people” remain in the Ukrainian-held parts of the region. Kyiv has articulated that the territories it controls in Kursk will be crucial bargaining chips in any forthcoming peace discussions with Russia, which continues to make steady advances on the front lines in eastern Ukraine.