Russian troops have regained control of more than 86% of the territory in Kursk Oblast captured by Kyiv, Valery Gerasimov, the chief of the General Staff of the Russian army, said on March 12, while Ukraine said it was ready to fight as long as needed.
His claims come as multiple Ukrainian and Russian sources reported that Russian troops had entered Sudzha, a key Ukrainian-held stronghold in the Russian border region of Kursk.
Following Gerasimov's reports, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi confirmed ongoing battles in the suburbs of Sudzha and the surrounding areas.
"In the most difficult situation, my priority has been and remains to save the lives of Ukrainian soldiers. To do this, the units of the Defense Forces, if necessary, maneuver to more favorable positions," said Syrskyi.
He added that Ukraine will hold the defense in Kursk Oblast "as long as reasonable and necessary."
According to Gerasimov, Russian forces have recaptured 24 settlements and 259 square kilometers (100 square miles) of territory in Kursk Oblast.
Russian news agency Tass published purported footage showing Russian President Vladimir Putin visiting one of the Russian troops' control centers in Kursk Oblast, which is claimed to have marked his first trip to the embattled region since the beginning of Kyiv's incursion.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify these reports. The Ukrainian military has not publicly commented on the claims.
Putin ordered to regain control over the entire territory of Kursk Oblast and to consider creating a "security zone" along the border with Ukraine, Tass wrote.
According to Syrskyi, Russia is seeking to push Ukrainian troops out of Kursk Oblast and move the fighting to Sumy and Kharkiv oblast.
The Russian president also said that Ukrainian soldiers captured in Kursk Oblast should be labeled as "terrorists." Russia's General Staff claimed that over 400 Ukrainian troops have been taken captive in the region.
Russia launched a renewed offensive in Kursk Oblast last week and reportedly made rapid advances. The developments coincided with the U.S. instituting a temporary pause on all military and intelligence support for Ukraine.
Syrskyi said earlier on March 10 that there is no immediate threat of encirclement as Ukrainian forces are repositioning to "favorable defense lines."
Ukraine launched the cross-border incursion into Kursk Oblast in August 2024, initially seizing around 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles) of Russian territory. Since then, Russian forces, reinforced by North Korean troops, have steadily pushed back against Ukrainian forces.
Over seven months of fighting in Russia's Kursk Oblast, Russian losses have reached nearly 54,900 personnel, with over 22,000 killed, Syrskyi claimed on March 12.
Natalia Yermak
(Updated: )
