In a recent development, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky firmly refuted claims that Ukrainian troops were encircled in Russia’s Kursk region, where Russian forces have reportedly reclaimed significant territory this week. The Russian military announced the capture of two additional villages in the border area, adding to their territorial gains.
The situation escalated when former U.S. President Donald Trump publicly urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to spare the lives of Ukrainian soldiers, claiming they were “completely surrounded” by Russian forces. In response, Zelensky described the circumstances in the Kursk area as “very difficult” but clarified, “There is no encirclement of our troops,” asserting that Ukrainian forces continue to fend off Russian and North Korean units in the region.
Kyiv had hoped to leverage the territories regained by Russia as bargaining tools for peace negotiations to resolve the ongoing conflict, which has persisted for over three years. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom hosted a virtual summit aimed at discussing measures to uphold any potential ceasefire in Ukraine. However, Zelensky cautioned that Russia appears determined to prolong the conflict and is dismissive of diplomatic efforts.
He further accused Moscow of amassing troops along the border, suggesting an imminent attack on Ukraine’s Sumy region, which had been targeted at the onset of Russia’s invasion in February 2022 but had since avoided the same level of violence witnessed in other eastern regions. Putin, however, remained non-committal regarding an immediate ceasefire proposed by the U.S., instead placing forth conditions that raised “serious questions” about the proposal.
The Russian defense ministry proudly proclaimed the success of their operations in the Kursk region, showcasing images of significant damage in the town of Sudzha, which had been occupied by Ukrainian forces for several months. This territory was home to approximately 6,000 residents before the outbreak of fighting and had seen Ukraine establish military administration there following its unexpected incursion a year ago. The ministry reported the capture of the villages of Zaoleshenka and Rubanshchina, located to the north and west of Sudzha.
In a move highlighting the ongoing humanitarian impact of the conflict, Alexander Khinstein, the acting governor of the Kursk region, announced the evacuation of 275 civilians from areas recently reclaimed by Russian troops. He indicated that 174 of these evacuees were being housed in temporary accommodations, and efforts to continue evacuations were ongoing.
In a statement addressing Trump’s plea, Putin remarked that Ukrainian troops would be assured of safety and dignified treatment if they chose to surrender. Additionally, Russia’s military engineers have reportedly commenced operations to clear areas previously held by Ukrainian forces.
In related news, Russian authorities responded to a drone strike originating from Ukraine that caused a fire at an oil depot in the Krasnodar region, deploying nearly 200 firefighters to manage the crisis. The governor of Krasnodar, Veniamin Kondratyev, accused the “Kyiv regime” of the attack on a petrol reserve station in the Black Sea city of Tuapse.
On the ground, Zelensky noted that the situation around the eastern city of Pokrovsk, which has faced prolonged attempts by Russian troops to seize control, had stabilized. However, the toll of the ongoing conflict continues to rise, as Ukrainian officials reported a surge in casualties from a recent Russian strike on Zelensky’s hometown of Kryvy Rig, raising the number of injured to 14, including two children aged two years and 15 years, following the destruction of residential buildings.
