Russia claims it retook control of 2 settlements in Kursk region

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Russia on Wednesday claimed it has regained control of two settlements in the Kursk region, which were previously captured by the Ukrainian forces during an incursion that began in August.

According to a statement by the Russian Defense Ministry, the Russian forces retook the settlements of Novaya Sorochina and Pokrovsky, located 16 kilometers and 6.5 kilometers (9.94 miles and 4.04 miles) from the Ukrainian border, respectively.

The statement added that the Russian forces successfully repelled five Ukrainian attacks near the settlements of Darino, Lyubimovka, Novy Put, and Plekhovo.

Ukrainian officials have not yet commented on Russia’s claims, and independent verification remains challenging amid the ongoing conflict.

The incursion into the Kursk region reportedly began on the night of Aug. 5-6, when Ukrainian forces entered near the town of Sudzha, approximately 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) from the border.

Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned the incursion as a “large-scale provocation” and an act of “indiscriminate shooting,” characterizing it as a “terrorist attack.”

In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later confirmed that the incursion aimed to create a “buffer zone” to protect against cross-border attacks from Russia.