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Russia’s Ministry of Defense said on Thursday that its forces had taken control of Sudzha, the largest city in its Kursk region held by Ukrainian forces for the past six months.
Ukrainian commander -in -chief Oleksandr Sysky also admitted last night that the Ukrainian troops were withdrawn from parts of the Kursk region and that Russian forces had entered Sudzha, but said the fighting was continuing on the outskirts of the city.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the military command in the area is “doing what he should do – while preserving as much life as our soldiers’ lives.”
The Russian offensive at Kursk Salient, supported by North Korean troops, has intensified in recent weeks, as Strike Drones targets the road to Sudzhha that Ukraine used to supply its forces.
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited a command post on Kursk on Wednesday, when he ordered the army to expel Ukraine forces outside the region “in the shortest possible time.”
Moscow’s rapid push to recover the area, first captured by Ukraine forces in August, comes while Russian and American officials are in another meeting to discuss the end of the war.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Thursday that the US and Russia would hold talks after Kyiv agreed on a 30-day initial ceasefire during a meeting with US officials in Saudi Arabia this week.
A plane registered in Steve Witkoff, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy in the Middle East, landed in Moscow, according to Fliffradar24.
US National Security Adviser, Mike Waltz spoke with Yuri Ushakov, Russian President’s foreign policy adviser, on Wednesday, Peskov said.
Russia has said it would not accept any interruption of hostilities in Ukraine that does not include an official and final solution to its three -year occupation, a position in violation of the US demand for a quick ceasefire. Peskov said it was too early to say what Russia’s position would be in talks, according to Interfax.
