Ukraine dismisses claims of Kursk loss as ‘propaganda’ tactic.
Russia has announced that its forces have completely reclaimed the contested Kursk region, nearly eight months after Ukraine’s military launched a surprise counteroffensive into Russian territory. However, Ukrainian officials quickly challenged this assertion.
During a video call with President Vladimir Putin on Saturday, Russian military Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov stated that Russian troops had “liberated” the last village in Kursk that was under Ukrainian control: Gornal.
Putin told Gerasimov, “The Kyiv regime’s endeavor has utterly failed.”
In response, Ukraine’s military asserted that its forces are still active in areas of Kursk.
“The claims made by enemy leadership about the ‘defeat’ of Ukrainian troops are simply propaganda tactics,” said Ukraine’s chief of staff in a Telegram post.
Nonetheless, he recognized that the situation for Ukraine’s forces in that territory—where Russian troops have made steady progress in recent months—is “challenging.”
Kyiv is aiming to leverage its presence in Kursk in future peace talks with Russia, which has taken over parts of eastern and southern Ukraine since the initiation of the full-scale invasion by Putin in February 2022.
Moscow commend North Korean troops’ ‘heroism’
As he announced the Russian advance, Gerasimov also acknowledged the role of North Korean soldiers fighting alongside Russian troops—marking the first official recognition by Moscow of their involvement in the conflict.
He commended the “heroism” of North Korean forces in Kursk, asserting that they “provided substantial support in overcoming the Ukrainian armed forces.”
South Korean and Western intelligence sources indicate that over 10,000 North Korean soldiers were dispatched to Russia last year to assist in combating Ukraine’s forces.
Ukraine claims to have captured and interrogated several North Korean soldiers on the battlefield.
This claimed recapture of Kursk coincided with a meeting between Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President Donald Trump, where they talked about achieving a “full and unconditional ceasefire” on the sidelines of Pope Francis’s funeral at the Vatican.
On Saturday, the Kremlin also stated that Putin is open to “resuming negotiations with Ukraine without any preconditions.”
Russian troops are now positioned near the border, creating increased threats to the Ukrainian region of Sumy, where incursions have recently occurred.
