Saturday, March 29, 2025
Russia’s military leadership has announced it has fully reclaimed the Kursk region from Ukrainian forces, a claim strongly disputed by Kyiv, which insists battles are still ongoing along the border.
During a video conference with President Vladimir Putin, top Russian commander Valery Gerasimov declared that the last village held by Ukrainian troops had been retaken after eight months of intense fighting. Gerasimov praised Russian troops — and for the first time, acknowledged the “heroism” of North Korean forces aiding the counter-offensive.
Putin, responding to the update, declared Ukraine’s efforts in Kursk a “complete failure.”
While Russia celebrated what it called a major victory, Ukraine pushed back, labeling Moscow’s announcement a “propaganda trick.” Ukrainian military officials confirmed the situation remained “difficult” but emphasized their forces were still operating in Kursk and pressing ahead with incursions in the neighboring Belgorod region.
Facing an estimated 70,000 Russian troops and relentless drone assaults, Ukrainian forces have been gradually losing ground in Kursk over recent months.
The US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) noted that Russian troops have recently advanced near the Kursk border while fighting continues in Belgorod.
In his briefing to Putin, Gerasimov stated that the village of Gornal — the last settlement under Ukrainian control in Kursk — had been recaptured.
He also claimed that more than 76,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed or wounded during operations in the region, although independent verification of this figure remains unavailable.
Additionally, Gerasimov credited North Korean troops for their “significant assistance” in Russia’s efforts to reclaim Kursk, marking a rare admission of foreign military support on Russian soil.
Following its claimed success in Kursk, Russia announced its forces had taken several settlements in Ukraine’s north-eastern Sumy region, which borders Kursk.
Ukraine’s strategy behind its original push into Kursk last August was to create a buffer zone to prevent Russian forces from reinforcing their eastern front. However, Moscow’s latest claims suggest the operation may be faltering.
The developments come amid new diplomatic efforts to end the war. Former US President Donald Trump recently said Ukraine and Russia were “very close to a deal,” following back-channel talks between his envoy and Putin.
However, Trump later questioned Putin’s sincerity after a Russian missile strike on Kyiv killed 12 people earlier this week. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, after meeting Trump at Pope Francis’s funeral, emphasized the need for a “full and unconditional ceasefire” before considering any agreement.
Zelensky continues to reject any proposals involving territorial concessions, including surrendering Crimea, as Ukraine seeks to preserve its internationally recognized borders.
For Kyiv, the hope of leveraging captured territory like Kursk in future negotiations now faces an uncertain fate.
