Ukrainian forces push 3-4 km inside Belgorod region, Reuters reports

Ukrainian forces have advanced three to four kilometers into Russia’s Belgorod region, engaging in battles with Russian troops, according to Russian military bloggers and independent analysts.

Military expert Emil Kastehelmi of the Black Bird Group told Reuters Ukrainian troops had penetrated Russia’s first line of defense, though he noted that their ability to launch a major breakthrough remains unlikely.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims.

Open-source intelligence suggests Kyiv's forces are still present in some parts of the region, though neither Ukraine nor Russia has officially confirmed the incursion.

Belgorod Oblast is regularly used by Russia to launch strikes against Ukrainian territory. At the same time, Belgorod region authorities have repeatedly accused Ukraine of launching attacks against the region and Belgorod city throughout the full-scale war.

The Ukrainian operation appears to be aimed at diverting Russian forces as Moscow intensifies efforts to push Kyiv’s troops out of Kursk, where Ukraine has maintained control of nearly 80 square kilometers since last August.

President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Ukrainian forces had taken "certain steps" inside Russia outside of Kursk, though he did not provide details. He described the operation as an effort to "reduce the accumulation" of Russian forces threatening Ukrainian positions.

Reports from Russian military bloggers describe heavy fighting in the settlements of Popovka and Demidovka, with both sides deploying drones and artillery. The Rybar Telegram channel claimed Russian forces had moved reinforcements from Goptarovka in Kursk to Belgorod, reinforcing defensive positions.

In Kursk, Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed its forces had recaptured the village of Gogolevka, one of the last settlements Ukraine controlled after its offensive last year.

However, Ukraine’s General Staff reported that its forces had repelled 18 Russian attacks in the region over the past day. Open-source analysis from Deep State, a Ukrainian military blog, indicated that Ukraine still holds some territory in Gogolevka and has not been fully pushed out of the region.

Belgorod Oblast is located in western Russia and borders Ukraine's Sumy, Kharkiv, and Luhansk oblasts in the south and west.

Ukraine denies Russian claims of thwarted attempt to invade Belgorod Oblast — here’s what we know

On March 18, Russia’s Defense Ministry said it had stopped a significant Ukrainian ground assault from entering Russia’s Belgorod Oblast, a claim that Ukraine swiftly denied as a propaganda effort.

The Kyiv IndependentAndrea Januta