Russia Claims Significant Gains in Kursk Region Amid Ongoing Conflict

A senior Russian military official announced on Thursday that Russia’s forces have regained control over 64% of the territory in the Kursk region that was initially taken by Ukrainian troops during their surprise offensive in the border area last year.

Sergei Rudskoi, the first deputy head of Russia’s General Staff, reported to the Krasnaya Zvezda military newspaper that «over 800 square kilometers [approximately 309 square miles] have been liberated, which represents roughly 64% of the territory that was previously occupied.»

According to Rudskoi’s remarks, Ukrainian forces still hold more than 400 square kilometers (about 154 square miles) of land in the Kursk region.

Last week, Oleksandr Syrsky, Ukraine’s leading military commander, stated that Ukrainian forces were in control of approximately 500 square kilometers in Kursk, territory that Ukraine considers vital for any negotiations to end the conflict.

President Vladimir Putin indicated on Wednesday that Russian troops had crossed into Ukrainian territory overnight, describing it as an offensive operation launched from the Kursk region, a claim that Ukraine rejected.

«At this moment, we hold complete initiative in the Kursk region. Russian forces are making advances in all sectors,» Rudskoi told Krasnaya Zvezda.

He also noted that Russian troops have secured «around 75%» of the territories in Ukraine’s Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions, while Kyiv maintains control over «less than 1%» of the eastern Luhansk region.

Moscow declared the annexation of all four regions in September 2022, despite not fully governing any of them.

Rudskoi mentioned that in 2024, Russia had taken «almost 4,500 square kilometers of territory» in Ukraine, labeling it a «breakthrough» year.

He concluded by stating, «The Kyiv regime will not be able to significantly alter the dynamics on the battlefield any further.»