Despite facing significant resistance, Ukraine continues to assert its presence in the Kursk region, a year after launching a surprising offensive.
**Ukrainian Forces Maintain Presence in Kursk Region Despite Russian Pushback**
**Ukrainian Forces Maintain Presence in Kursk Region Despite Russian Pushback**
Ukraine's military commander asserts that troops are still holding territory within Russia, engaging in ongoing conflict.
Ukraine's top military leader has confirmed that its forces are still occupying a small section of land within the Russian Kursk region, a critical stronghold captured nearly a year ago. The incursion began in August 2024, when Ukrainian troops took control of over 1,000 square kilometers (approximately 386 square miles) of territory.
Commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrsky reported that approximately 10,000 Russian soldiers are actively working to push his forces out of the area. While Russia has claimed full control of the region, Syrsky emphasized that Ukrainian forces still maintain positions in about 90 square kilometers (35 square miles) of Kursk. He promised to escalate military operations against Russian positions, insisting that their focus remains on military targets rather than civilian populations.
The incursion on August 6 led to the seizure of numerous villages and established a critical buffer zone for Ukraine, inhibiting Russian reinforcements in key areas near the eastern front lines. However, Ukraine’s advancements encountered challenges as Russian forces, bolstered by troops from North Korea, began to take back ground.
The past months have seen Ukrainian troops grapple with a renewed offensive from Russia, which reportedly deployed around 70,000 soldiers, alongside heavy drone assaults to reclaim lost territory. North Korea has been actively involved in the conflict; last autumn, they sent around 11,000 troops to the Kursk region, illustrating the extent of international collaboration against Ukraine. Official military sources from Western nations indicated that around 1,000 North Korean soldiers stationed in Russia were killed within a short span earlier this year.
Additionally, recent agreements indicated that North Korea will send more troops to assist with mine-clearing efforts and infrastructure rebuilding in the afflicted Kursk region, highlighting the ongoing complexity and international ramifications of the war in Ukraine.
