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RABAT2025-03-19
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Putin Orders Military Push to Oust Ukrainian Forces from Kursk Region
President Vladimir Putin visited Russian troops in the western Kursk region on Wednesday, where he ordered them to continue their rapid advance and reclaim the remaining areas occupied by Ukrainian forces. This visit came after a U.S. request for a 30-day ceasefire proposal, supported by Ukraine, and following Russian success in retaking significant territory in Kursk, forcing Ukrainian forces to retreat and relinquish control of the town of Sudzha.
Ukraine had initially shocked the world by crossing into Russia on August 6, 2024, seizing land in hopes of gaining leverage in future peace talks. However, after maintaining a dwindling hold over this territory for several months, Ukrainian forces in Kursk have faced major setbacks in recent days, particularly after their key supply lines were cut off.
Putin suggested the possibility of establishing a buffer zone inside Ukraine’s Sumy region, adjacent to Kursk, to protect against future Ukrainian incursions. He also stated that foreign nationals fighting with Ukraine in Kursk would not be afforded the protections of the Geneva Conventions and that Ukrainian prisoners should be regarded as "terrorists."
Putin outlined the immediate goal of decisively defeating Ukrainian forces entrenched in the Kursk region and fully reclaiming the area. He emphasized the need to restore control along the state border and potentially create a security zone there.
Valery Gerasimov, the head of Russia's General Staff, reported that Russian forces had expelled Ukrainian forces from more than 86% of the territory they once controlled in Kursk, covering approximately 1,100 square kilometers. He also noted that Ukraine’s strategy of using Kursk as leverage in negotiations had failed.
Further military gains were made by Russian troops, retaking 24 settlements and over 259 square kilometers of land in the past five days, along with capturing more than 400 prisoners. Russian units also advanced into Ukraine's Sumy region to expand a "security zone."
While France 24 could not independently confirm these claims, Reuters verified Russian media footage showing troops raising the Russian flag in Sudzha, a town near the Ukrainian border. Ukraine’s Deep State, a site tracking the conflict, updated its map to indicate that Ukrainian forces no longer controlled Sudzha, though fighting continued on its outskirts.
Ukraine’s senior military commanders affirmed that they would maintain operations in the Kursk region as long as necessary. Despite this, reports indicated that Ukrainian forces were gradually withdrawing from Kursk. Meanwhile, Ukraine continued to strike Sudzha heavily.
In a related development, the U.S. agreed to resume arms supplies and intelligence sharing with Ukraine, following talks in Saudi Arabia where Ukraine expressed readiness to support the ceasefire proposal. The Kremlin announced that it was closely analyzing the outcomes of these talks and awaiting further details from the U.S.
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