For over seven months, Ukrainian forces maintained control over the city of Sudzha, located near russian border, as part of the Kursk operation launched last August. However, recent developments indicate that the situation has shifted in Moscow’s favor.
According to DeepStateMap, russian troops are now the only confirmed military presence in the area. Reports from Reuters suggest that Ukrainian forces have begun withdrawing, with both russian and Ukrainian military bloggers corroborating these claims.
The Kremlin has also announced further territorial gains, with the Defense Ministry of Defense of russia officials stating that five more villages were captured last week.
A verified video published by russian sources and analyzed by Reuters shows russian soldiers raising the tricolor flag in Sudzha’s central square. The Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov described the situation as having “good dynamics” for russian forces.
Despite the apparent setback, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reaffirmed that Kyiv’s forces will continue their operations in Kursk region.
“Russia is putting pressure on us. Our command is doing everything necessary, preserving the lives of our soldiers as much as possible,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated.
While the full implications of the withdrawal remain unclear, the loss of Sudzha marks another shift in the ongoing battle for control along the border regions.