Russia Claims Full Recapture of Kursk Region, Ukraine Rejects Assertion

World

In a significant development from the ongoing conflict, Russia's military announced on Saturday that it had fully recaptured the Kursk region, eight months after Ukrainian forces launched a surprise counteroffensive into Russian territory. The declaration came from Russia's military Chief of Staff, Valery Gerasimov, during a video conference with President Vladimir Putin.

Gerasimov stated that Russian troops had "liberated" the last village in the Kursk region that was still under Ukrainian control, Gornal. Putin echoed this sentiment, asserting that Ukraine's counteroffensive had been a failure. “The Kyiv regime’s adventure has completely failed,” Putin said in the meeting.

However, Ukrainian officials swiftly rejected Russia's claims, countering that their forces were still operating in parts of the Kursk region. The Ukrainian military's chief of staff denounced the Russian announcement, calling it "propaganda tricks" intended to mislead the public. “Statements by the enemy leadership about the ‘defeat’ of the Ukrainian troops are nothing more than propaganda tricks,” the chief of staff wrote on Telegram.

Despite the denial, Ukrainian officials did acknowledge the difficulty of their forces' position in the region, where Russian forces have made steady territorial gains in recent months.

The ongoing battle for control of Kursk marks a key chapter in the broader conflict between Russia and Ukraine, as both sides continue to fight for strategic advantage. The situation remains fluid, with both nations asserting competing narratives over the course of events on the ground.