Russia’s chief military official announced on Saturday that Russian forces have reclaimed the last village under Ukrainian control in the Kursk region of western Russia, a claim that Ukrainian officials have refuted, asserting that their operations within Russian territory are still active.
General Valery V. Gerasimov, who oversees the invasion of Ukraine and Russia’s defense as chief of the general staff, made the declaration six weeks after Russian troops regained nearly all the territory in the Kursk region that Ukrainian forces had occupied following a surprise offensive last summer.
In a televised briefing to President Vladimir V. Putin via video link, General Gerasimov reported that Russian troops had retaken the village of Gornal, located on the border with Ukraine. He stated that this advance "completed the defeat of the Ukrainian armed forces that attacked the Kursk region."
Contradicting this claim, the Ukrainian General Staff said its forces have not fully withdrawn and emphasized that military operations in the area are ongoing.
The General Staff acknowledged the challenging conditions but affirmed, "Our units continue to hold their positions."
The removal of Ukrainian troops from the Kursk region could simplify some of the complexities surrounding ongoing peace negotiations. Recently, a special envoy met with Russian leadership in Moscow to discuss potential agreements aimed at ending the conflict.
