- Ukraine is on the verge of losing its latest city in Kursk, the Russian region that occupied in August.
- Moscow has pushed hard to Kursk in recent weeks, and Putin just visited the region itself.
- The loss of this northern pocket comes as the US seeks to take Russia to accept a temporary ceasefire.
Eight months after the start of her surprise attack on Russian soil, the Ukrainian foundation in Kursk seems to be at her last feet.
Since Wednesday, the city of Sudzha – about five miles from the Ukrainian border – remains the last important position of KyIw in the Russian region.
Ukrainian officials have painted a gloomy view of her protection.
Roman Kosthenko, Secretary of the Defense Committee in the Ukraine Parliament, told local reporters at a conference on Wednesday that Russian troops have entered the city and are trying to terminate the Ukrainian supply lines.
“There is information that the Russians have entered a certain part. The fighting continues. The Russians control a certain area there, which is beyond the river,” Kostenko said.
However, he added that he had not received a full withdrawal, a decision that Kyiv also did not confirm.
But the language used by senior Ukraine officials indicates that at least a partial withdrawal is already developing.
Ukraine’s main commander, Oleksandr Syskyi, said Wednesday evening that he had ordered Ukrainian troops to cross the “more favorable lines” if necessary.
Sudzha is “almost completely destroyed” by Russian air strikes, SYKSKI added.
Both he and the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have said that Kyiv’s advantage in Kursk is now “maintaining the life” of Ukrainian troops.
“The Russians are putting the utmost pressure on our soldiers,” Zelenskyy told reporters Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Russian military bloggers have posted footage of fighting in Sudzha, appearing to show Moscow’s progress by reaching the city’s administrative buildings.
This Reuters scanned scanning shows a drone view of destruction and fighting in the center of Sudzhha. Social media through Reuters
The pushing of the Kremlin comes as Russian leader Vladimir Putin visited Kursk for the first time since Ukraine violated the region.
Dressed in military fatigue, he told his troops on Wednesday to clear the remains of Ukraine troops in Kursk, according to state media.
Russian leader Vladimir Putin visited a command post on Kursk on Wednesday. Kremlin Press Office/Anadolu through Getty Images
With the position of Ukraine in the now terrible Kursk, Dmyl Krasylnykov, commander of its northern operations, is removed.
National broadcaster Suspilne reported that Krasylnikov said that an order for his replacement was signed on March 7. Olexisiy candle, who was deputy commander of Ukraine’s air attack forces, is set to take over.
An advantage held for months, now on the verge of collapse
Ukraine began her surprise surprise Kursk in early August, widely interpreted as a bold attempt to attract Russian resources away from the Eastern Front and create a bargain chip for ceasefire negotiations.
Within days, Kyiv’s forces seized about 500 square miles of Russian territories and threatened to violate the city of Kursk himself.
But Moscow’s troops rushed to contain progress, finally cutting Ukraine’s pocket there only on the soil around Sudzhha.
If the Kremlin is fully withdrawn from the KASK, it would come while President Donald Trump’s administration tries to take Russia to accept a temporary ceasefire, to which Ukraine has already agreed.
“We will take this offer now for the Russians, and hopefully they will say yes, they will say to peace,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday. “The ball is now in their court.”
Earlier this month, tensions with Washington also urged the US to return some of its Intel support and weapons for Ukraine. Shortly after the decision was made, officials in Kyiv told Jake Epstein Business Insider that the loss of Intel impeded Ukraine’s ability to protect against Russian missile attacks.
The Washington Post also reported that the mass had prevented Ukraine from aiming for Russian positions with advanced American artillery systems.
After Kyiv accepted the ceasefire conditions, the US said Monday that she had resumed the partition of Intel with Ukraine.