Russian troops have recently regained control of Sudzha, the largest town in the Kursk region that was previously held by Ukraine, as reported from Moscow. This change could impact Ukraine’s position in ongoing negotiations to end the conflict. On Thursday, the Russian defense ministry announced that their forces had successfully taken back Sudzha, along with the towns of Melovoy and Podol. The Institute for the Study of War, a group that monitors military conflicts, confirmed these claims with footage showing Russian troops in Sudzha and advancing towards another nearby settlement called Zaoleshenka.
For Russia, recapturing Sudzha is regarded as a major triumph. Even though it’s a small town with a population of about 5,000 before the conflict began. It was one of the last key areas still under Ukrainian control. This announcement came as US special envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow to discuss a proposed 30-day ceasefire that would cover the entire frontline, a plan that Ukraine has agreed to. During a press briefing, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov expressed hope that Russian forces would soon reclaim all areas of the Kursk region currently held by Ukraine.
President Vladimir Putin addressed the situation in the Kursk region, emphasizing the need for prompt action. He indicated that the timeline for operations would be determined by the necessity to protect the lives of military personnel and civilians. Putin expressed the belief that the Kursk region would be liberated in the near future, a sentiment echoed by spokesperson Dmitry Peskov regarding the timeline for the withdrawal of Ukrainian Armed Forces from the area.
On Wednesday, Putin made an unexpected visit to the Kursk region, wearing military attire during a broadcast by Russian state television. He spoke to frontline troops, stating that Moscow’s goal is to “completely liberate” Kursk as soon as possible. This visit was noted to be his first to the western region since Ukraine’s incursions there last year. The visit appeared to have been organized to bolster the morale of Russian forces as they confront the remaining pockets of Ukrainian resistance. In his remarks to the soldiers, Putin encouraged them to address the remaining Ukrainian troops in the area and suggested the possibility of establishing a “buffer zone” along the border with Ukraine.
According to Putin, Ukrainian soldiers taken captive in Kursk should be labeled as “terrorists,”. In August, Ukraine launched a surprising attack on Kursk, quickly seizing land in the first ground invasion of Russia by a foreign nation since World War II. This operation not only aimed to capture territory that could be exchanged for areas occupied by Russia but also sought to distract Moscow’s resources from the eastern front in Ukraine. However, Ukraine has faced challenges in maintaining control over the captured areas, with its hold on the region weakening significantly in recent days. On Wednesday, Ukraine’s chief general Oleksandr Syrskyi suggested that further tactical withdrawals to “more favorable positions” might be necessary, emphasizing that his main goal was to “protect the lives of Ukrainian soldiers.” He also noted that Russia had conducted airstrikes on its territory, including the town of Sudzha, which was “almost completely destroyed.”
