Russia Recaptures Key Kursk Settlements Amid Ongoing Military Push

On Sunday, Russian forces regained control of three settlements in the Kursk region of western Russia, according to the Defense Ministry. This was part of an operation to remove Ukrainian troops who had held parts of the region for seven months following a cross-border incursion.
The ministry’s statement, shared on Telegram, came after Russian bloggers reported that special forces had covertly advanced through a gas pipeline near Sudzha to surprise Ukrainian forces. The three settlements—Malaya Lokhnya, Cherkasskoye Porechnoye, and Kositsa—are located north of Sudzha.
“The Russian Federation’s armed forces continue to rout Ukrainian army units in Kursk,” the ministry added. The pipeline operation, reported by Russian bloggers, appeared to be a tactic aimed at cutting off Ukrainian soldiers in the region, potentially ahead of talks between Ukraine and the U.S. about a possible peace agreement.
In August, Ukrainian forces had seized about 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles) of Kursk to gain leverage in future negotiations and force Russian troops to divert from eastern Ukraine. Recently, Russia has made progress in regaining control, with open-source maps indicating that Ukraine’s forces are almost surrounded.
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev commented that the offensive was continuing, saying, “The lid of the smoking cauldron is almost closed.” Pro-Russian military blogger Yuri Podolyaka stated that Russian special forces had advanced nearly 16 kilometers through the gas pipeline before surprising Ukrainian forces near Sudzha.
Ukrainian forces confirmed that Russian troops had tried to gain a foothold using the pipeline, but they were detected and repelled with rockets, artillery, and drones. The Ukrainian military also reported repelling 15 Russian attacks in Kursk, with six armed clashes still ongoing. Ukrainian forces also faced 12 Russian airstrikes.
As Russian advances in 2024 continue, and with U.S. President Donald Trump’s shifting policies on Ukraine and Russia, European leaders have expressed concerns that Ukraine may lose the war and that Trump may be distancing himself from Europe.
Russia also announced its first territorial gains in Ukraine’s Sumy region since 2022. Russian troops claimed to have recaptured four villages in Kursk, pushing closer to Sudzha, which remains under Ukrainian control. Kyiv’s goal is to use the Kursk territory as leverage in peace talks.
Next week, Ukrainian and U.S. negotiators are set to meet in Saudi Arabia, where the U.S. administration seeks a ceasefire and a peace agreement framework. Meanwhile, Russia claimed it had recaptured Novenke, a village near the Kursk border, and was closer to blocking a major Ukrainian supply route.
The Ukrainian president expressed gratitude for the military’s resilience, reaffirming that strong frontline positions are crucial for diplomatic negotiations. Russia’s counter-offensive continues as it makes gains in Kursk and beyond, while both sides prepare for potential peace talks.
In related news, Russian forces also reported advancing in the Donetsk region and making inroads into the Dnipropetrovsk region, which had previously been largely unaffected by the conflict.