Kursk campaign

On 6 August 2024, during the Russo-Ukrainian war, the Armed Forces of Ukraine launched an incursion into Russia's Kursk Oblast and clashed with the Russian Armed Forces and Russian border guard. A state of emergency was declared in Kursk Oblast, and Russian reserves were rushed to the area. By the end of the first week, the Ukrainian military said it had captured 1,000 km2 (390 sq mi) of Russian territory, while Russian authorities acknowledged that Ukraine had captured 28 settlements. In the second half of August the front stabilized, and in early October, the Ukrainian advance had stalled. From November, North Korean forces were sent to the province to support the Russian military. By the end of that month, Russian forces recaptured around half of the territory Ukraine had occupied. By 11 March 2025, most of the Ukrainian forces appeared to have retreated as a result of a Russian counterattack. Russian troops entered Sudzha, around which a shrinking pocket of territory still controlled by Ukraine had formed, the next day. Ukrainian officials said the goals of the operation included inflicting damage on Russia's military, capturing Russian troops, pushing Russian artillery further out of range, hindering Russian supply lines and diverting their forces from other fronts. It also aimed to put pressure on the Russian government and force it into "fair" peace negotiations. By the end of August, the operation began to be criticized for diverting Ukrainian forces from the east, stretching Ukraine's personnel along the front and allowing Russia to advance toward Pokrovsk. The Institute for the Study of War reported that Russia had moved forces from "lower-priority" areas, but not from Donetsk Oblast. The Ukrainian incursion into Kursk surprised Russia, some of Ukraine's allies, and many in the Ukrainian elite. It is the most significant attack across the border since the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the first carried out primarily by Ukrainian regular forces. Earlier smaller incursions into Russia by pro-Ukrainian forces had taken place with Ukraine supporting them but denying explicit involvement. Western analysts differed in their assessment of the outcome of the Ukrainian offensive, with defence researcher Marina Miron viewing it as a strategic failure for Ukraine, Markus Reisner taking the view that a correct assessment of the battle could only be given after the total withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Kursk to determine the losses incurred, and former military advisor Nico Lange viewing it as a success. Land warfare expert Nick Reynolds said that Ukraine had held the Sudzha pocket for a "remarkable" amount of time, and that the Ukrainian offensive had had a "shaping effect on Russian thinking".

Background

Captured Russian military documents reviewed by The Guardian contained internal warnings about a Ukrainian cross-border operation in the area months before it took place. Unit commanders were warned in February that the Ukrainian military was planning a "rapid push" from the Sumy Oblast into Russian territory up to a depth of 80 kilometres (50 mi). More specifically, a document dated mid-June warned of Ukrainian plans to conduct an operation from the direction of Yunakivka, with the aim of taking control of Sudzha. Russia's military chief Valery Gerasimov reportedly ignored intelligence warnings that Ukrainian troops were massing near the Russia–Ukraine border. Bloomberg reported that Russian intelligence had warned of a possible invasion of the Kursk region two weeks in advance. According to Bloomberg, citing "a person close to the Kremlin", Putin was not informed of the threat. All legal national borders of Russia are controlled by the FSB Border Guard under the command of FSB director Alexander Bortnikov. Most of the men guarding the border in Kursk Oblast were young, inexperienced conscripts, lightly equipped army infantry units, and the National Guard (Rosgvardiya). Some of the conscripts were unarmed.

=== Preparations === Ukraine's military intelligence agency had begun preparing for the operation in Kursk by March 2024. In late June 2024, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukraine's commander-in-chief, gave orders to the commanders of Ukraine's 80th and 82nd Air Assault Brigades, according to the 82nd's commander, Dmytro Voloshyn. Andrii Krysiuk, the 82nd Brigade's chief of staff, said that the planning for the operation took place among a limited circle of people in rooms without any telephones, in order to maintain secrecy. Units of the 80th, 82nd, and the 22nd Mechanized Brigade were moved discreetly from other fronts into the Sumy Oblast as early as mid-July, under the pretenses of training and picking up new equipment. Officers were told to avoid wearing military uniforms when entering Ukrainian towns and cities, in order not to draw attention. The military buildup was noticed by Ukrainian civilians in the village of Khotin and the Yunakivka district. The paratroopers of the 80th Brigade reportedly trained for several weeks to prepare for the operation, including in mock terrain made to resemble villages in Kursk Oblast. Units of the 95th Air Assault Brigade were informed in late July about the operation, about a week before it began, as they were being redeployed from the Toretsk front, and were given three days to train and prepare. Pavlo Rozlach, the commander of the 80th Brigade, said that his unit had begun infiltrating into Kursk Oblast on 4 August with the help of the Ukrainian Special Operations Forces. Groups of six soldiers were deployed and were hidden in forests in preparation for the main assault on 6 August. The Ukrainian incursion was preceded by artillery shelling and drone strikes during the night of 5–6 August.

Timeline

August 2024: Ukrainian offensive

==== 6 August ==== On 6 August 2024, Russia reportedly deployed air and artillery forces to counter a Ukrainian border incursion in Kursk Oblast. Ukrainian fighters, equipped with tanks and armored vehicles, crossed into Russian territory. The Russian Ministry of Defense responded by sending troops and aviation units to the area. According to Russia, the incursion involved around 300 Ukrainian troops, 11 tanks, and over 20 armored combat vehicles, and was aimed in two directions: at Oleshnya in the direction of Sudzha, east-northeast of Sumy, and towards Nikolayevo-Darino, north-northeast of Sumy. It was reported that Chechen Akhmat battalions were responding to the raids, though these claims remained unverified as of 13 September 2024. The attack began at 08:00 MSK. A statement by Russian forces on Telegram at around 18:20, claiming that they had pushed the Ukrainians back across the border, and inflicted significant losses through artillery, air strikes, and drones, was later edited by them to imply fighting was ongoing. Moscow released videos purportedly showing Ukrainian tanks being targeted from the air. Social media footage suggested Russian warplanes operated at low altitudes over Kursk Oblast to repel the attack. Alexei Smirnov, acting governor of Kursk Oblast, reported that three people died during the events: a woman in the border incursion and two individuals in separate drone attacks. Russian milbloggers also largely dismissed the supposed raids as "unsuccessful" and a "media stunt". According to Russia, at least 1,000 troops crossed the border on the first day, supported by tanks and armored vehicles. According to Andrzej Wilk of the Centre for Eastern Studies, the entire Ukrainian grouping, including some elements which did not cross over into Russia, consisted of an estimated 2,000 men from Ukraine's 22nd and 82nd Brigades, supported by artillery and air defense sub-units. It was later claimed by members of the Ukrainian military that the breakthrough on the border was conducted by the 80th and 82nd Air Assault Brigades. Russian milbloggers claimed that the offensive was being performed by the Russian Volunteer Corps (RVC), while the New Voice of Ukraine citing a source in Ukraine's Main Military Intelligence reported that the RVC was not present.

7 August

A milblogger claimed that Ukrainian forces had captured 11 settlements and had advanced 14 kilometres (9 mi) deep into the oblast. Government agencies were ordered by President Vladimir Putin to "provide the needed assistance to residents", and deputy prime minister Denis Manturov was sent to oversee their work. Kursk Oblast was placed under a state of emergency by governor Smirnov. Putin met with key members of the security establishment including Valery Gerasimov, Alexander Bortnikov, Sergei Shoigu and Andrey Belousov on the Kursk incursion. Gerasimov told Putin that about 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers took part in the attack and that their advance had been halted. Geolocated footage confirmed that Ukrainian forces had advanced at least 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) across the Russian border, having penetrated at least two Russian defensive lines and a stronghold. Russian sources indicated that Ukrainian forces were trying to advance along the 38K-030 Sudzha-Korenevo highway, and a prominent Kremlin-affiliated milblogger claimed that by 18:00 local time on 7 August, Ukrainian forces had advanced both northwest and southeast along the highway and were now fighting on the outskirts of Korenevo and Sudzha. Additionally, geolocated footage showed four Ukrainian personnel capturing at least 40 Russian POWs, as well as fighting within city limits of Sudzha, with Ukrainian forces capturing a gas-station and the entry check-point. The previous day, 35 Russian servicemen were claimed to have been captured by Ukrainian forces after failing to prevent a breakthrough. Meanwhile, a Ukrainian lieutenant claimed that 300 Russian soldiers had been captured in the "Kursk People's Republic" during two days; he referred to the Ukrainian forces operating there as "a contingent of unidentified armed formations". Ukrainian MP Oleksiy Goncharenko reported that Ukrainian forces had captured the Sudzha gas hub which feeds the Urengoy–Pomary–Uzhhorod pipeline into the rest of Europe. Additionally, there were reports of fighting in Ivnitsa, a village 24 km (15 mi) from the border. Russian sources claimed that Ukrainian forces had reached the village of Darino.

==== 8 August ==== RIA Novosti reported that four people died as a result of 'attacks' by the AFU in the oblast as fighting continued for the third day. Pro-Russian milblogger Yuri Podolyaka said that "Sudzha is basically lost to us" and that Ukrainian forces were pushing towards Lgov. Ukrainian forces were in control of the western part of Sudzha and the surrounding roads; skirmishes continued in the town. According to Smirnov, the acting governor of Kursk Oblast, six Ukrainian drones and five missiles were shot down during the night and morning.

Reports claimed that the combat zone had expanded to 430 square kilometers, and claimed that Ukrainian forces entered the settlement of Mirny and had taken control of the villages of Kazachya Loknya, Bogdanovka, 1st Knyazhiy and 2nd Knyazhiy. Skirmishes took place in the village of Snagost. Ukrainian troops were present in areas 35 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.

==== 9 August ==== Reports claimed that Ukrainian troops had captured around 100–200 square kilometers of territory, at a depth of around 10 kilometers on average. Based on independent and own analyses, CNN put the area of territory over which Russia had lost control at 250 square kilometers at least. A convoy of Russian troops was reportedly destroyed in a HIMARS strike in the village of Oktyabrskoye while moving along the route connecting Glushkovsky District and Kursk and passing through Rylsky and Lgovsky districts. Footage of the aftermath showed 15 burned military trucks, with some bodies inside. According to the Ukrainian analyst group NEXTA, "each of these trucks can carry up to 35 fully equipped soldiers. The video shows 14 destroyed vehicles, which suggests that the Russian army could have lost between 200 and 490 soldiers in one night as a result of the strike... This could become one of the largest one-time losses for the Russian army since the beginning of the full-scale war". A Russian Telegram channel wrote: "They were armed, most likely a platoon per vehicle. 3-4 companies – an entire battalion was destroyed. Judging by the appearance of the column, about half were killed. This is one of the bloodiest and most massive strikes (most likely Himars) in the entire war." Apti Alaudinov, the commander of the Chechen Akhmat units that had been stationed in Belgorod and Kursk since the last incursion, informed Russian media that he and his forces did not engage Ukrainian troops as they passed their positions, instead opting to retreat until more Russian reinforcements could arrive, while some Russian milbloggers claimed they fled from the battle. Alaudinov had at that point in time been the only Russian commander to admit that Ukrainian forces were in control of settlements along the border. In anticipation of Russian airstrikes, 20,000 people were ordered to evacuate from Sumy Oblast. Russian reinforcements, many of which were units already deployed around the Russia–Ukraine border, continued to arrive near the frontline in Kursk Oblast, where fighting persisted over Sudzha. The Russian MOD published a report on the transfer of a military column from Belgorod Oblast to Sudzhansky District, which included 152-mm self-propelled "Msta-S" artillery pieces and combat support vehicles. Combat markings showed that Russian command was transferring battle-hardened troops to Kursk Oblast as reinforcement. The head of the Kurchatov municipal administration, Igor Korpunkov, reported that the fighting was taking place 30 kilometers from Kursk Nuclear Power Plant. Authorities blocked all access to the nuclear plant, construction workers at the site left the area, and equipment at the plant was deenergized. Rosatom announced a temporary reduction in the number of personnel at the site. Around 15:00, an explosion was heard in Kurchatov. Russian NBC Protection Troops were also deployed to protect the plant. Governor of Kursk Oblast Alexey Smirnov reported that a fire started in one of the districts as a result of an attack by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on a transformer substation. As a result of the UAV attack, Kurchatov, as well as parts of the Kurchatovsky, Oktyabrsky, Bolshesoldatsky, Oboyansky and Belovsky districts, were left without power supply. A counter-terrorism operational regime under the Federal Security Service, headed by Alexander Bortnikov, was introduced in Kursk, Bryansk and Belgorod Oblasts to temporarily take control of the regions till the conditions return to normalcy. This meant that movement was restricted, vehicles could be seized, and phone calls could be monitored, among other measures. The number of Ukrainian troops in Kursk Oblast was estimated by CEIP senior fellow Dara Massicot to be around 10,000–12,000, containing elements from four to five Ukrainian brigades.

==== 10 August ==== According to analysts cited by The New York Times, the Ukrainian advance in Kursk Oblast had largely been stopped by Russian reinforcements at this point, and the situation stabilized, but Ukrainian forces continued to hold on to their captured territory. Conversely, other sources such as the Washington Post and Frankfurter Rundschau reported that Russia remained unable to control the situation, with continued Ukrainian advances. The Russian Ministry of Defense made similar claims that they had stopped any Ukrainian advances in Kursk Oblast. Russian authorities introduced a "counter-terrorist operation" regime in Kursk Oblast. Battles were reported in Olgovka near Korenevo, the Ivashkovskoye farmstead, and Malaya Loknya. On 10 August, Ukraine's 95th Air Assault Brigade entered Kursk Oblast, and was given the task of conducting assaults and mop-up operations around Malaya Loknya and Pogrebki. The Russian Armed Forces claimed to have regained control of the village of Makhnovka east of Sudzha. Reports claimed that the combat zone had expanded to 650 km2 (250 sq mi). In the evening, Kursk Oblast governor Smirnov said that 15 people were injured in Kursk city after the wreckage of an intercepted Ukrainian missile fell onto a residential area. Soldiers of Ukraine's 252nd Territorial Defense Battalion published footage from Poroz, a border village in Belgorod Oblast.

==== 11 August ==== On the night of 11 August, the Ukrainian Armed Forces entered Belovsky District, located southeast of Sudzhansky District, which was confirmed by the head of the district and the acting governor. The head of the district asked those who had evacuated not to return. Proekt claimed that the combat zone had increased to 720 km2 (280 sq mi). An armored Ukrainian column crossed into Belgorod Oblast at the village of Kolotilovka, immediately coming under attack by artillery and drones, but ultimately advancing 6 miles (9.7 km) into Russian territory with heavy casualties.

==== 12 August ==== Russian authorities began evacuating civilians from Krasnoyaruzhsky District in Belgorod Oblast because of the widening Ukrainian offensive. Krasnoyaruzhsky is immediately south of Kursk Oblast, and also borders Ukraine. Russian authorities confirmed that Ukrainians had gained control of at least 28 settlements, while Ukrainian OSINT claimed that Ukrainians had control of 44 settlements and were contesting another 10 settlements. The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi said that his forces control over 1,000 km2 (390 sq mi) of Russian territory. Ukrainian soldiers published a video of themselves driving through the center of Sudzha claiming that the city center was under the control of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

==== 13 August ==== According to reports that were not immediately confirmed but deemed credible by Western observers, Putin placed Alexey Dyumin in command of the defense against the Ukrainian offensive. According to Ukraine a "relatively small" number of Russian troops were relocated to Kursk from Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, with the Russian offensives in the latter two regions continuing. In his evening address, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that his forces were in control of roughly 1,000 square kilometres and 74 settlements inside Kursk Oblast. In a meeting with Zelenskyy, Lithuanian minister of defense Laurynas Kasčiūnas claimed that Russia relocated some of its troops from its Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad to Kursk, without going into further details. The Russian defence ministry claimed to have thwarted Ukrainian assaults in Korenevsky District near the villages of Obshchy Kolodez, Kauchuk, Alekseyevsky, and Snagost and in Sudzhansky District in the direction of Martynovka, and also in the areas of Korenevo, Oleshnya, Nikolayevo-Darino, Sudzha, and Mikhaylovka.

==== 14 August ==== Russia accused Ukraine of carrying out a massive air and drone attack on Kursk, Voronezh, Belgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Volgograd, Bryansk, Oryol, and Rostov Oblasts, adding that it had shot down 117 drones and four missiles. Ukrainian state television aired a report claiming that Sudzha was under Ukrainian control and showing Ukrainian soldiers removing the Russian flag from an official building. Ukrainian forces were also shown delivering humanitarian aid to civilians in the town. However, Apti Alaudinov claimed that fighting in the town was ongoing. Ukraine claimed to have captured 102 Russian soldiers in less than 24 hours, reportedly from the 488th Guards Regiment and the "Akhmat" Battalions, with Zelenskyy claiming the day before that "hundreds" had so far surrendered during the offensive. According to the state security service of Ukraine, this was the largest single surrender of Russian troops so far. Ukraine reportedly attempted to advance in three directions: east from Sudzha toward the village of Belitsa and the neighboring settlement of Giri, north towards Lgov, and northwest towards Korenevo on the road to Rylsk. A fierce battle was reported near the settlement of Kauchuk, approximately 30 kilometers from Lgov. Russian forces dug new trenches south of Lgov and in Chermoshnoy. Ukrainian forces claimed to have advanced 1–2 kilometers and completed clearance of Sudzha. Cherkasskaya Konopelka, to the south of Sudzha, was reportedly captured by Ukraine, while the village of Kurilovka, the hamlet of Dmitryukov and the villages of Borki and Krupets were also reportedly occupied. Ukrainian troops entered the village of Kamyshnoye where an urban battle was reported. The town of Glushkovo was ordered evacuated by governor Smirnov, with the evacuation of the entire surrounding Glushkovsky District of Kursk Oblast also begun that same day.

==== 15 August ==== Ukrainian military commander Oleksandr Syrskyi announced the establishment of a military administration to be headed by General Eduard Moskaliov, adding that 82 settlements in the oblast were now under Kyiv's control. In his evening address, Zelenskyy said that Ukrainian forces had taken full control of Sudzha. The Russian MOD claimed to have recaptured the village of Krupets. It also confirmed that the Ukrainian Armed Forces had advanced approximately two kilometers. Ukraine lost a HIMARS launcher in a missile strike in Sumy Oblast.

==== 16 August ==== It was reported that Russia was hiring trench diggers to build defences with wages of around US$2,500 a month, or more, with the promise of working outside combat zones. Satellite images showed the expansion of Russian trenchlines in the region. The major road bridge over the Seym River in Glushkovo was destroyed by the Ukrainian military, approximately 50 kilometers west of the Russian territory then controlled by Ukraine. Russian officials said that the loss of the bridge would hinder the relocation via land routes of civilians in the district. Approximately 2,000 to 3,000 Russian conscripts were trapped in a pocket south of the river.

==== 17 August ==== Russian forces reportedly blew up two bridges near Tyotkino and Popovo-Lezhachi after withdrawing from the right bank of the Seym River in the area. The Ukrainian military claimed the capture of the settlement of Korenevo but the Russian MOD described the settlement as contested.

18 August

Ukrainian forces destroyed another bridge over the Seym river near Zvannoye. According to Russian bloggers, both Ukraine and Russia reinforced their forces battling in Kursk Oblast, with Russia moving some forces from other fronts to the front. Marines from the 501st Separate Naval Infantry Battalion posted a video of them tearing down the Russian flag from the municipal building of Apanasovka.

==== 19 August ==== Russia claimed that the Ukrainian military destroyed the third and last bridge over the Seym River in Korenevsky District leading to possible logistical strain on over 700 square kilometers of Russian territory. In his evening address, President Zelenskyy said that Ukrainian forces were in control of 92 settlements in Kursk Oblast and 1,250 square kilometers of Russian territory.

==== 20 August ==== The Russian interior ministry warned residents of Bryansk, Kursk and Belgorod Oblasts against using online dating websites and security cameras, citing concerns of information being gathered by Ukrainian forces. Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, former head of Ingushetia and incumbent deputy head of the Ministry of Defense was appointed as Andrei Belousov's deputy in the Coordinating Council for the Security Issues of the Bordering Territories. Belousov reported that Yevkurov was already in Kursk Oblast that day. The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense claimed Ukrainian advances towards the villages of Novoivanovka and Kul'baki. It also stated that Korenevo was being attacked from the south. Martynovka on the Sudzha-Kursk road was also claimed to be controlled by Ukraine, who also claimed to have taken over Plekhovo in the south but stated that Borki, Kamyshnoye and Gir'i were under Russian control.

==== 21 August ==== Ukraine claimed to have destroyed several pontoon bridges used by Russian forces along the Seym River. The Russian Air Force carried out 17 airstrikes using 27 guided aerial bombs within Ukrainian-held Russian territory, and the Russian Army conducted artillery strikes on the Ukrainian border settlements of Porozok and Pozhnia. The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that its forces had repelled Ukrainian assaults from Komarovka, Korenevo, Malaya Loknya and Russkaya Konopelka and attacked Ukrainian soldiers near eight villages in Kursk Oblast and nine villages in Sumy Oblast.

==== 23 August ==== Russian soldiers barricaded themselves in Women Prison No. 11 in the village of Malaya Loknya, effectively turning the building into a "fortress", using watchtowers as firing positions, making trenches amongst other defenses. Prison guards were also involved with the Russian troops in the defense of the facility, which was known to have a carrying capacity of 200 female prisoners. Ukrainian troops besieged the facility and attacked it.

==== 25 August ==== In his evening address, President Zelenskyy claimed that Ukrainian forces had advanced by one to three kilometres, resulting in the capture of two more unspecified settlements, with active operations going on in another one.

==== 29 August ==== Russian forces fully recaptured Korenevo.

==== 30 August ==== Ukrainian military commander Oleksandr Syrskyi said that his forces had advanced up to 2 km (1.2 mi) in some areas and seized control of 5 km2 (1.9 sq mi) of Russian territory. 100 members of the Bear Brigade, a Russian PMC, said that they would deploy from Burkina Faso to Kursk Oblast to fight Ukrainian forces.

=== September 2024 === On 5 September, President Zelenskyy claimed that 60,000 Russian troops had been redeployed from Zaporizhzhia and Kherson Oblasts to Kursk Oblast and that the number of Russian shells fired in the former areas had been reduced. On 7 September, Ukrainian forces claimed to have destroyed two pontoon bridges over the Seym River and an Osa air defence system using SDB bombs and HIMARS rockets.

==== Russian counteroffensive in Korenevo district ==== The Russian army reportedly launched a counteroffensive operation in Kursk Oblast on 10 September, with reports of Russian advances in the Korenevo District. Apti Alaudinov also claimed that Russian forces entered Snagost. It was claimed that Russian forces captured the settlements of Gordeyevka and Vnezapnoye. On 11 September, Russian counteroffensive operations in Korenevo District of Kursk Oblast reportedly continued, with some Russian sources saying that as much as 165 square kilometers had been recaptured, and Alaudinov saying that "about 10 settlements" had been recaptured. These operations came amidst a Ukrainian redeployment of troops from Kursk Oblast to the fighting near Pokrovsk, which according to a Ukrainian milblogger gave Russian forces the upper hand in Kursk. One of the objectives of the counteroffensive reportedly was to free up the isolated Russian troops between the Seym river and Ukraine. Another Russian platoon attempting to cross a pontoon bridge on the Seym River was bombarded using HIMARS rockets. On 12 September, the Russian defense ministry reiterated Alaudinov's statements of 10 settlements having been recaptured, and specified that these were Apanasovka, Byakhovo, Vishnevka, Viktorovka, Vnezapnoye, Gordeevka, Krasnooktyabrsky, Obukhovka, Snagost, and 10-y Oktyabr. Geolocated footage confirmed a Russian advance of 58 square kilometers, including into Snagost and Krasnooktyabrsky, but not any village captures. The Institute for the Study of War assessed that these Russian advances were in areas where Ukraine did not have full control. The Russian capture of Snagost was visually confirmed on 13 September, while Russian sources claimed further advances through Ukraine's Kursk salient. The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed on 16 September to have recaptured the village of Borki. On 18 September, the Ukrainian military administration of Kursk Oblast claimed that the Russian counterattack had been halted. However, others suggested the counterattack had yet to reach full momentum. Apti Alaudinov stated that Russia had regained control over the settlements of Nikolayevo-Darino and Darino in the Sudzha District. On 24 September, Alaudinov said that his forces had retaken 12 settlements in Kursk Oblast since the start of the Russian counterattack; 11 of these were visually confirmed to have been recaptured by Russian forces.

==== Ukrainian incursion in Glushkovo district ==== By 12 September, Ukrainian forces had conducted a new breakthrough across the Russia-Ukraine border in the Glushkovo District, at a new section of the front outside of their main salient in Kursk Oblast. Elements of the 116th Mechanized Brigade crossed the border near the villages of Novyy Put and Vesyoloye without encountering Russian resistance. Russian sources claimed that Ukrainian forces were conducting assaults near Medvezhye. Ukrainian forces also entered the southwestern part of Tyotkino. The next day, Russian sources claimed that Ukrainian attacks continued near Vesyoloye, Novyy Put, and Medvezhye. The elements of the 116th Brigade which conducted the breakthrough later claimed that they had advanced "significantly deep" into Russian territory and had placed a group of at least a thousand Russian conscripts under threat of encirclement. On 16 September, Russian authorities ordered the evacuation of settlements in the Rylsk and Khomutovka districts of Kursk region. Both lay within 15 kilometres of the Ukrainian border.

=== October 2024 === On 9 October, the Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that Russian forces had regained control over Pokrovsky and Novaya Sorochina in the Sudzha District. On 10 October, Russian forces began a major step up in their counteroffensive in Kursk Oblast. Russian attacks on the salient in the following months were carried out every week by the same brigades and regiments, and heavy on armor. There were reports of that Russian forces had almost eliminated a salient of Ukrainian troops in Glushkovo District following a strategic encirclement. On 11 October, Russian Forces advanced towards the villages of Veseloye and north of Lyubimovka. On 14 October, Apti Alaudinov claimed that Russia had recaptured around half of the territory occupied by Ukraine. This was corroborated by the ISW, who said that geolocated footage could confirm that 46% had been recaptured. By the end of the first half of October, the Ukrainian website DeepState claimed that Russian forces had broken through the left flank of the group of Ukrainian forces in Kursk, taking control of the village of Zelyonyy Shlyakh. It was reported on 28 October 2024 that Ukrainian forces, including the 33rd Assault Battalion, the 21st Mechanized Brigade, and the 130th Mechanized Battalion of the 47th Mechanized Brigade, had conducted a new breakthrough along the Russia-Ukraine border at the village of Novyy Put in the Glushkovo District of the Kursk Oblast, and had seized Russian positions. According to David Axe, this breakthrough took place on or just before 26 October.

=== November 2024 === On 10 November, it was reported that in preparation for a new phase of counteroffensive around 50,000 troops, none of whom had to be diverted from eastern Ukraine, were being amassed in Kursk Oblast. This reportedly included North Korean light infantry, who were then being trained for combat away from the frontline, and whose total presence in the region totaled 10,000. According to Ukrainian officials, this force would likely attack within days. At a press briefing on 12 November, deputy spokesperson of the US State Department Vedant Patel told a press briefing that "most of" over 10,000 North Korean soldiers who had been sent to eastern Russia had been deployed at the Kursk frontline.

=== December 2024 === On 11 December, Russia's Ministry of Defense claimed that Russian troops had recaptured Darino and Plekhovo in the Sudzhansky District. As of 16 December 2024, it was not clear which side, if either, held Plekhovo. On 12 December, Russia stated that it had regained control over Novoivanovka.

=== January 2025 === On 5 January, the Russian defense ministry stated that Ukrainian forces had launched a new offensive in Kursk Oblast around 9 AM Moscow time, with Ukrainian bloggers also suggesting an operation was underway. According to Russian military bloggers, the Ukrainian attack was launched from Sudzha in the direction of the villages of Berdin and Bolshoye Soldatskoye. Russia said that these offensive efforts had been repelled. Ukrainian forces advanced through the fields south of Berdin into the southern part of the settlement. Russian bloggers claimed Ukrainian offensives towards Leonidovo and near Pushkarnoye. Maps from Russian bloggers indicated that Ukraine controlled the villages of Cherkasskoye Porechnoye, Martynovka, and Mikhaylovka, had entered Novosotnitsky, and advanced near Novaya Sorochina and Yamskaya Step. Some Russian milbloggers said that the offensive was possibly a feint for a future larger offensive. Russian forces simultaneously counterattacked southeast of Sudzha, making confirmed advances in Makhnovka, and advanced through a highway west of Malaya Loknya. On 6 January, posted geolocated footage confirmed recent Ukrainian forces advances in southern Berdin, central Russkoye Porechnoye, and central Novosotnitsky. Russian sources claimed that Leonidovo had been recaptured. On 7 January, posted geolocated footage showed that Berdin and Novosotnitsky had been cleared from Ukrainian assaults as well as Russian advances near four other settlements in Kursk Oblast. Russian sources said that Staraya Sorochina, Russkoye Porechnoye, Kositsa, and Makhnovka had been recaptured. Ukraine confirmed that Ukrainian offensive efforts in Kursk Oblast were ongoing. On 8 January, geolocated footage showed that Russian forces had entered into Nikolayevka, northwest of Sudzha, from the west. On 9 January, amidst increasing Russian efforts to recapture territory in Kursk Oblast, Russian forces recaptured the localities of Alexandriya and Leonidovo, confirmed by geolocated footage of a battalion-sized assault conducted in the area. Further confirmed advances were made near two settlements northwest of Sudzha. Russian sources claimed that Pogrebki, Maryevka and Naidenov had as well been recaptured. Ukrainian forces meanwhile were confirmed to have advanced in Nikolayevka, northwest of Sudzha. On 27 January, the Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that Russian forces had recaptured the village of Nikolayevo-Darino.

=== February 2025 === On 1 February, Russian forces launched an airstrike on a boarding school in Sudzha, killing four people according to Ukrainian authorities. A new offensive launched by Ukraine on 6 February with two mechanized battalions from the town of Makhnovka, which it controlled, led to the capture of the villages of Kolmakov and Fanaseyevka the same day. On 7 February, Putin admitted the situation was "very difficult" while meeting with regional governors. Ukraine said it was willing to offer a humanitarian corridor for civilians, but said it had not received correspondence from Russia, with Zelenskyy accusing Russia of "indifference" to the fate of its citizens. The Russian Ministry of Defense said that Russian forces had recaptured several localities throughout February: Sverdlikovo on 17 February, Orlovka and Pogrebki on 26 February, Nikolski on 27 February, and Novaya Sorochina on 28 February.

March 2025

==== Russian offensive, recapture of Sudzha ==== Ukrainian monitoring group DeepState reported on 6 March that Russian forces had advanced near the village of Kurilovka, south of Sudzha, threatening Ukrainian defenses. The next day, a Ukrainian military source operating in the Kursk region told Ukrainska Pravda that the Russians had indeed broken through the Ukrainian defensive line south of Sudzha on 5–6 March, and that Ukrainian units were attempting to prevent their supply routes from being cut off and their forces being encircled. On 7 March, Reuters reported that open source maps showed that Russian forces were near to encircling thousands of Ukrainian soldiers in the Kursk region, with supply lines at risk of being cut-off by drone attacks and artillery. The Telegraph reported that 10,000 Ukrainian troops had come under risk of encirclement. Russian forces also crossed the Ukrainian border into the Sumy region. Ukrainian official Andriy Kovalenko said that Russian forces were trying to take the Yunakivka to Sudzha highway. On 8 March, Russian forces began attacks on Sudzha itself. On the morning of 8 March, as part of an operation called "Potok" (Stream) by Russia, a group of Russian soldiers reached Ukrainian positions in Sudzha, having walked there through the Urengoy–Pomary–Uzhhorod pipeline, which had been abandoned since January. According to Russian military bloggers, Russian special forces covered nearly 16 kilometers within the pipe and spent several days inside of it before emerging in the Ukrainian rear near Sudzha. Ukrainian military blogger Yuriy Butusov said the attacking Russian force consisted of an assault company; according to Ukrainska Pravda and a Russian military blogger, about one hundred men emerged from the exit. According to Valery Gerasimov, the operation involved more than 600 soldiers. In an interview with TASS, the commander of the special forces "Akhmat", Apta Alaudinov said that Russian soldiers traveling through the pipe had marked themselves with blue tape, same color as the Ukrainian army uses, in order to deceive the Ukrainian forces and make them think "that their own units were advancing." According to the ISW, this may amount to perfidy, a war crime. Russian sources characterized the operation as a surprise attack. A Ukrainian military source in the Kursk region denied this, telling Ukrainska Pravda that the Ukrainians had been aware of the Russian plan, but that a few days before, the Ukrainian command's focus had shifted to Kurilovka due to the breakthrough there, and that the troops in Kursk lacked the resources to blow up the pipeline. Ukrainian officer Myroslav Hai claimed later on 8 March that commanders of a Ukrainian air assault brigade had advance knowledge of the Russian plan, allowing them to carry out an ambush which he said resulted in the death of roughly 80% of the Russian forces who had emerged from the pipeline. The Ukrainian general staff denied in a 8 March statement that the Russians had achieved a large-scale breakthrough on the border, and claimed that the Russian presence in the villages of Zhuravka and Novenke in Ukraine's Sumy region only amounted to small sabotage-reconnaissance groups and infantry units "of only a few soldiers". It also said that the Russians were conducting "heavy" assaults near Malaya Loknya and areas south of Sudzha. By 8 March, the village of Cherkasskoye Porechnoye north of Sudzha had returned to Russian control, according to geolocated footage reviewed by the Institute for the Study of War. Russian bloggers claimed on 8 March that Lebedevka, west of Sudzha, as well as Kubatkin, north of Sudzha, had also been recaptured. The same day, the Russian ministry of defense announced that its forces had recaptured the villages of Viktorovka, Nikolaevka and Staraya Sorochina, north of Sudzha. The next day, the ministry formally claimed the capture of the Russian village of Lebedevka near the border, as well as the hamlet of Novenke in Ukraine's Sumy region. DeepState on 9 March also reported that Lebedevka had come under Russian control, and that Russian forces were pushing into Cherkasskoye Porechnoye. According to senior Western and Ukrainian military officials, the US suspending military intelligence aid to Ukraine had a major impact on the swift Russian advances. On 9 March, Russian bloggers claimed that Sudzha was being attacked from multiple directions and that "fierce fighting" was ongoing. By that same day, Russian forces recaptured Malaya Loknya. The Russian ministry of defense also announced the recapture of Cherkasskoye Porechnoye and Kositsa. On 10 March, orders were given for some Ukrainian units to withdraw from Sudzha. On 11 March, the Russian ministry of defense announced the recapture of 12 settlements: Agronom, Bogdanovka, Bondarevka, Dmitryukov, Zazulevka, Ivashkovsky, Kolmakov, Kubatkin, Martynovka, Mikhailovka, Pravda and Yuzhny. DeepState said on the same day that the Russians had made advances near Mirnoye, and were consolidating their positions and building up their forces in the eastern part of Sudzha. On the left flank of the Kursk front, the Russians were said to be pushing towards Basivka in the Sumy region; on the right flank, it was said that Ukrainian forces were slowing down the Russian advance near Guyevo, where they claimed that North Korean forces were involved in the fighting. The same day, Forbes reported that the bulk of the Ukrainian forces in Kursk, with some of Ukraine's heaviest brigades, had evacuated and repositioned on the Ukrainian side of the border. On 12 March, Russian troops were seen raising flags in the center of Sudzha. The Russian ministry of defense announced the recapture of five settlements: Kazachya Loknya, 1st Knyazhiy, 2nd Knyazhiy, Zamostye and Mirny. Syrskyi said that Ukrainian forces were repositioning to "favorable defensive lines" and that there was no threat of encirclement. On the same day, the DeepState map was updated to show that Ukrainian forces were no longer in control of Sudzha and had left the town. Military analyst Ruslan Leviev told TV Rain that Sudzha was under full control by Russian troops, saying that Ukrainian forces were likely to completely withdraw from the Kursk region in the upcoming days. During a 12 March visit to a command post in the Kursk region, Putin reportedly ordered the Russian military to "fully liberate" the region, saying that this had to be done "in the shortest possible time". On 13 March, the Russian ministry of defense announced the recapture of Sudzha and the settlements of Podol and Melovoy. Russian sources claimed that Russian forces had taken control over the villages of Goncharovka, Zaoleshenka, and Rubanshchina, and were advancing towards Oleshnya. On 14 March, the Russian ministry of defense claimed its forces had recaptured the settlement of Goncharovka. According to Forbes, contrary to Donald Trump's statement of "thousands of Ukrainian soldiers encircled" in the Kursk region, no encirclement took place in Kursk. On 15 March, Russian sources claimed that Russian forces had taken control over Gogolevka and were clearing Guyevo. Ukrainian officials claimed that the Russians were accumulating forces along the border for a "strike" on the Sumy region, though they said there was no risk of a Russian offensive on the city of Sumy itself. The Russian ministry of defense claimed the recapture of Rubanshchina and Zaoleshenka settlements. On 16 March, Ukraine's General Staff confirmed Ukrainian troops' withdrawal from Sudzha. According to Ukrainian soldiers interviewed by the BBC, Russia had amassed a significant force, including ″large numbers″ of North Korean soldiers to retake the town, and the retreat was disorderly and "catastrophic". The same day it was reported that Ukraine still held a "sliver of land along the border". Ukrainian officials said the withdrawal was necessary to preserve lives. On 20 March, Ukraine's General Staff said that they continued to hold positions in the Kursk region and that the border was under their control. On 28 March, the Russian ministry of defense announced the recapture of Gogolevka, while DeepState mapping from that day only confirmed partial control of the village.

==== Ukrainian offensive into Krasnaya Yaruga District, Belgorod region ==== After their withdrawal from most of their positions in the Kursk region, Ukrainian forces launched a surprise offensive into the Belgorod region. Zelenskyy referred to the operation as a preemptive measure to prevent the Russian military from opening new fronts. Defense analyst Yan Matveev and BBC military analyst Ilya Abishev called it a diversionary move aimed at redirecting Russian forces. According to Oliver Carroll of The Economist, the operation had been planned for three weeks and was aimed at creating a Ukrainian-controlled "buffer zone" on the Russian side of the border. Russian military sources first claimed on 18 March that Ukrainian units were attempting to breach Russian border defenses in the Krasnaya Yaruga District. Matveev reported that the main Ukrainian attack was launched from the village of Mar'iine towards the village of Demidovka. The Russian ministry of defense said that Ukrainian forces attempted to infiltrate Demidovka and the village of Prilesye at 5:50 a.m., and made five attempts to attack the Belgorod region throughout the day, claiming that Russian forces had repelled all of them. The Ukrainian forces involved numbered up to 200 soldiers, and were supported by tanks and armored personnel carriers, according to the ministry. Russian Telegram channels said that Ukrainian forces had also attempted to cross the border at the village of Grafovka. The next morning, Russian military channels claimed that all Ukrainian attacks had been repelled, but that the Ukrainians were being reinforced and were preparing to continue striking. Police checkpoints were set up throughout Krasnaya Yaruga District, and local authorities encouraged residents to evacuate. Ukrainian forces continued attacking on 19 March; according to the Conflict Intelligence Team, a Ukrainian unit up to battalion strength advanced 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) into the region before being pushed back. ISW assessed that Ukrainian forces had advanced northwest of Prilesye and south and southwest of Demidovka over the previous two days, and a Russian source claimed that the Ukrainians had advanced towards Grafovka. The next day, Russian sources claimed that Ukrainian forces were attacking across the border near Liptsy, and had partially surrounded Demidovka from the south. By 24 March, Ukrainian forces had entered the central part of Demidovka. ISW referred to the Ukrainian gains in the Belgorod region since 18 March as "marginal".