Russia Claims Full Control of Kursk, Ukraine Disputes Claim/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Russia announced it has fully retaken the Kursk region from Ukrainian forces, but Kyiv insists fighting continues. Ukrainian officials say their troops are still engaged in defensive operations. Meanwhile, North Korean troops’ involvement was confirmed, adding international complexity to the conflict.
Russia Ukraine Kursk Region Quick Looks
- Russia claims full control of Kursk region; Ukraine disputes it.
- Ukrainian forces say they continue resisting in Kursk sector.
- North Korean troops confirmed fighting alongside Russian forces.
- Putin celebrates “complete defeat” of Ukrainian incursion in Kursk.
- Ukraine initially seized 1,300 square kilometers in 2024 offensive.
- Trump and Zelenskyy discuss ceasefire in Vatican City.
- Overnight Russian attacks kill three civilians across Ukraine.
- Ukraine downs 66 drones; Russia claims to intercept 45 drones.
Russia Claims Full Control of Kursk, Ukraine Disputes Claim
Deep Look
Russia Claims Full Control of Kursk Region as Ukraine Insists Fighting Continues
KYIV, Ukraine — Russia declared Saturday it has fully reclaimed the Kursk region, ousting all Ukrainian forces from territory captured during Kyiv’s bold 2024 incursion. However, Ukrainian officials quickly disputed Moscow’s announcement, asserting that Ukrainian troops are still actively defending positions in the sector.
Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff of Russia’s Armed Forces, delivered the news to President Vladimir Putin in a Kremlin meeting. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov relayed the announcement via Russian state news agency Interfax, hailing it as a significant turning point in the conflict.
In his statement, Putin congratulated Russian soldiers and commanders, claiming that Ukraine’s cross-border operation had “completely failed.”
“The complete defeat of our enemy along Kursk’s border region creates the right conditions for further successes for our troops and in other important areas of the front,” Putin said.
Despite Moscow’s declarations, Ukraine’s General Staff offered a different picture. In their Saturday morning update, Ukrainian forces said they continued to resist Russian attacks in Kursk, disputing any narrative of a full retreat. Kyiv has remained cautious in officially acknowledging losses or territorial withdrawals in sensitive zones.
Ukraine had stunned the Kremlin in August 2024 by launching a surprise offensive across the border into Russia’s Kursk region, seizing roughly 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles). The daring operation was seen as an effort to gain leverage in potential peace negotiations. However, Ukrainian forces struggled to maintain their gains through late 2024 and into 2025 as Russia steadily pushed back.
Adding an international dimension to the conflict, Gerasimov confirmed on Saturday that North Korean troops had fought alongside Russian forces during the recent battles in Kursk. He praised the North Korean soldiers for their “professionalism, courage, and heroism in battle.”
Western intelligence agencies had earlier reported the presence of between 10,000 and 12,000 North Korean troops assisting Russia, but until now, Moscow and Pyongyang had not officially admitted the deployment. Both countries had previously insisted their military cooperation complied with international law without directly acknowledging boots on the ground.
Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts to end the war also moved forward this weekend. U.S. President Donald Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. The brief 15-minute conversation focused on advancing ceasefire talks, according to Ukrainian presidential spokesman Serhii Nykyforov and White House Communications Director Steven Cheung.
Trump, who had earlier posted on Truth Social calling for “very high-level talks” between Ukraine and Russia, said he believed both sides were “very close to a deal” following his envoy Steve Witkoff’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
The battlefield, however, remained as lethal as ever. Local officials in Ukraine reported three civilian deaths overnight due to Russian strikes. Two people were killed in Yarova, in the eastern Donetsk region, and another died in the Dnipropetrovsk region, according to local governors Vadym Filashkin and Serhiy Lysak. Among the six injured were an 88-year-old woman and an 11-year-old girl.
The scale of overnight attacks was staggering. Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched three missiles and 114 drones against Ukrainian targets. Ukrainian defenses shot down 66 drones, while an additional 31 decoy drones failed to reach their intended destinations.
On the Russian side, Moscow’s defense ministry reported intercepting 45 Ukrainian drones overnight, highlighting the ongoing intensity of drone warfare across the front lines.
As battles rage in Kursk and ceasefire discussions continue in diplomatic channels, both the military and political landscapes remain fluid. With neither side willing to concede defeat, the course of the war — and prospects for peace — hang precariously in the balance.
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