In a recent announcement, the Russian Ministry of Defense revealed that its forces have successfully regained control over two villages in Kursk Oblast that were previously under Ukrainian occupation. This move comes in the wake of a surprising raid by Ukrainian troops on August 6, which marked one of the rare occasions when Ukraine managed to breach into Russian territory.
When asked about the situation, a spokesperson from the Ministry of Defense stated that Russian troops are “continuing their offensive operations, successfully liberating the settlements of Novaya Sorochina and Pokrovsky.” Notably, Novaya Sorochina is located close to the Ukrainian border, while Pokrovsky lies further within Russian territory.
The statement elaborated that Russian forces are actively “taking measures to defeat enemy groups that have entered Kursk Oblast” and have successfully repelled Ukrainian attacks in the vicinity of the villages near Pokrovsky.
Earlier this year, by late August, Ukraine claimed to have captured approximately 100 settlements in Kursk Oblast, controlling nearly 1,300 square kilometers of territory. Following this, in mid-September, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported the reclamation of 12 villages in the area. However, a Ukrainian military spokesperson later informed AFP that Russia’s counteroffensive to reclaim lost territory had been “halted.”
Furthermore, Ukraine has indicated that its offensive efforts are aimed at establishing a buffer zone in Kursk Oblast to safeguard its border regions from further shelling.
On the same day as the Russian announcement, Ukraine also reported that Russia had launched ballistic missile attacks on Poltava, a city located in central-eastern Ukraine, sourced from Kursk Oblast.
