Russia’s military announced on Tuesday that it had made significant territorial gains in the western region of Kursk, reclaiming land occupied by Ukrainian forces since last August.
The Russian Ministry of Defense reported the recapture of twelve settlements and over 100 square kilometers (38.6 square miles) of territory. Among the recaptured settlements were Agronom, Bogdanovka, Bondarevka, Dmitryukov, Zazulevka, Ivashkovsky, Kolmakov, Kubatkin, Martynovka, Mikhailovka, Pravda, and Yuzhny, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.
The announcement follows Moscow’s launch of a new offensive in the Russian border region, reportedly achieving a breakthrough south of Sudzha in an effort to encircle Ukrainian positions.
A video circulating on social media shows a Russian soldier raising the country’s flag. While the video could not be independently verified, it is said to have been filmed in Sudzha, the last major Ukrainian stronghold in the region.
Над юго-восточным предместьем Суджи — Замостьем — подняли российский триколор🔥 pic.twitter.com/aLAjfBHJtc
— Spartakhccity(Юрий Arty) (@ArtiUrij6474) March 11, 2025
Reports from Russian military bloggers suggest that Moscow’s forces now control roughly 40% of Sudzha. The pro-Russian Telegram channel Two Majors claimed that Russian paratroopers were operating within Sudzha, while other sources reported intense clashes in an industrial area of northeastern Sudzha. The Kremlin’s military advances have yet to be independently verified.
Recent reports suggest that much of Ukraine’s 10,000-strong force, including some of its most elite brigades, has withdrawn across the border back into Ukraine. One Ukrainian source confirmed the retreat, saying: “My friends managed to leave Kursk, avoiding encirclement. It’s sad that it came to this. But it is what it is.”
My friends managed to leave Kursk avoiding encirclement. It’s sad that it came to this. But it is what it is.
— ✙ Constantine ✙ (@Teoyaomiquu) March 10, 2025
According to a British government assessment, Ukraine still controls roughly 300 square kilometers of Kursk, but the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported that Russian forces were “consolidating their gains” and preparing further attacks.
Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine – 10 March 2025.
Find out more about Defence Intelligence’s use of language: https://t.co/GqHiJICQz6 #StandWithUkraine 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/RoarGMfOmG
— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) March 10, 2025
In a Facebook post on Monday, Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander-in-chief of Ukrainian forces, assured Ukrainians that “there are no threats surrounding our units in the Kursk region.” However, Syrskyi did not promise his troops would remain in Kursk. Instead, he said, “units are taking timely measures to maneuver on the advantageous border of defense.”
