On February 26, 2025, Russia’s army announced that it had retaken 12 settlements from Ukraine in the western Kursk region. This move is part of a rapid counteroffensive launched by Moscow to reclaim land that was seized by Kyiv last year.
Ukraine has faced a decline in territory within the Russian border region, which it had held since August 2024. The loss of this area, which Ukraine hoped to use as leverage in peace negotiations, has continued for several weeks.
The announcement coincided with diplomatic talks taking place in Saudi Arabia between Ukrainian and US diplomats aimed at finding ways to end the ongoing conflict.
According to a statement from Russia’s defense ministry, military units from the ‘North’ group have successfully liberated 12 settlements and reclaimed over 100 square kilometers of territory in the Kursk region. The villages retaken by Russia include Argonom, Bogdanovka, Bondarevka, Dmitryukov, Zazulevka, Ivashkovsky, Kolmakov, Kubatkin, Martynovka, Mikhaylovka, Pravda, and Yuzhny. These settlements are located to the north, east, and south of Sudzha, the primary regional town still under Ukrainian control.
The recent Russian advances come as the US has restricted Ukraine’s access to intelligence sharing and satellite data in an effort to encourage negotiations.
In response to the situation, Ukraine stated on Monday that it was reinforcing its troops in the Kursk region and asserted that there was no immediate threat of encirclement of its forces. Meanwhile, Russian military bloggers reported that Moscow’s troops used underground tunnels and pipelines, including gas pipes, to conduct surprise attacks on Ukrainian forces. Russian state television even aired footage of a soldier maneuvering through a small tunnel entrance, highlighting the tactics being employed to avoid detection.
