Russia Claims Retaking of Two Villages in Western Kursk Region, Reports Reuters

Moscow Reports Gains in Kursk Region Amid Ongoing Conflict

Moscow announced on Monday that its forces have regained control of two villages in the western Kursk region, claiming this marks a significant counter-offensive against Ukraine. The Russian military has been engaged in confrontations with Ukrainian troops in the Kursk area since August 6, when Ukraine launched a substantial attack considered the largest foreign incursion on Russian territory since World War II.

The Russian Defense Ministry reported that its troops recaptured the villages of Uspenovka and Borki, which are located approximately 12 miles apart along the border with Ukraine’s Sumy region. However, this claim has not been independently verified.

A senior Russian commander and pro-Kremlin military bloggers previously stated that Russia had regained control of about ten settlements in the region, a claim that also remains unconfirmed. Meanwhile, Ukraine asserts that its forces maintain control over around 100 villages in Kursk, spanning over 1,300 square kilometers, which Russian sources contest.

In response to the ongoing situation, the governor of Kursk region, Alexei Smirnov, ordered the evacuation of settlements in two districts that lie within 15 kilometers of the Ukrainian border.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, in his nightly address, mentioned his discussions with top commander Oleksandr Syrskyi regarding the situation in Kursk, affirming that operations are proceeding as planned. Zelenskiy also noted Syrskyi’s updates on the gradual advancement of Russian troops in eastern Ukraine, particularly concerning the crucial rail and logistics hub of Pokrovsk.

He reported that there had been 100 skirmishes in the past 24 hours along the eastern front, with the heaviest combat occurring in the Pokrovsk and Kurakhove sectors. Capturing Pokrovsk would represent a strategic move towards Russia’s goal of securing the entire Donetsk region.

Zelenskiy emphasized on Friday that Ukraine’s actions in Kursk had effectively hampered the progress of Russian forces in eastern Ukraine. Conversely, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed the assault on Kursk had distracted Ukrainian forces on the eastern front, undermining their defenses.

On Monday, Ukraine sought the involvement of the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross in humanitarian efforts in the Kursk region. Over the weekend, both Russia and Ukraine executed two prisoner exchanges involving hundreds of prisoners of war, many of whom were captured while defending Kursk.

Additionally, Russia’s Commissioner for Children’s Rights, Maria Lvova-Belova, reported a meeting with ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric Egger, where they discussed the reunification of Russian families with children currently located in Europe. Both Lvova-Belova and Putin are under indictment by the International Criminal Court related to the deportation of Ukrainian children during the conflict, a charge Russia dismisses as politically motivated and without merit.