Zelenskyy says troops not surrounded in Kursk, Russia says it retakes two villages

 

Zelenskyy says troops not surrounded in Kursk, Russia says it retakes two villages


Ukrainian forces continue to battle Russian and North Korean troops in Russia’s Kursk region while preparing for a possible new assault on Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy region, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday.

Military analysts suggest that Russian forces are close to expelling Ukrainian troops from their months-old foothold in Kursk, which they seized during a large-scale cross-border operation last August. The situation has raised concerns in Washington, with U.S. President Donald Trump warning that thousands of Ukrainian soldiers are “completely surrounded.”

Russia’s Defense Ministry announced that its forces had recaptured two more villages near Sudzha, a town about 10 km (six miles) from the Ukrainian border, which Moscow claimed to have retaken on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Russia’s Emergencies Ministry reported evacuating more than 300 residents from areas surrounding Sudzha. Alexander Khinshtein, the region’s acting governor, stated that officials were working on restoring retaken settlements and assessing how many residents wished to return.

Zelenskyy Warns of Possible Attack on Sumy

Following a briefing with Ukraine’s top general, Zelenskyy dismissed claims that Kyiv’s troops were encircled in Kursk. However, he warned that Russian forces were amassing near the border for a potential new offensive.

“This signals an intent to attack our Sumy region,” Zelenskyy said in a social media statement. “We are aware of it and will counter it.”

He urged international partners to take Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions seriously.

“I want all our allies to fully understand what Putin is planning, what he is preparing for, and what he is willing to ignore,” Zelenskyy added.

Putin has indicated conditional support for a proposed 30-day ceasefire put forward by Trump but has insisted that fighting will continue until key conditions are met.

Western Allies Prepare for Further Support

On Saturday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that European nations and Western allies were intensifying efforts to bolster Ukraine’s defense in case a peace deal with Russia is reached. Defense leaders are expected to finalize “robust plans” next week.

Zelenskyy, however, remained skeptical of Russia’s willingness to negotiate.

“The buildup of Russian forces indicates that Moscow intends to keep ignoring diplomacy,” he said. “It is clear that Russia is prolonging the war.”

Ukraine Stabilizes Eastern Front, Deploys New Missile

Zelenskyy also reported that Ukraine had stabilized the battlefield near the strategic eastern city of Pokrovsk. Additionally, he confirmed that Kyiv had successfully used a newly developed long-range missile in combat.

As Ukraine seeks to expand its domestic defense industry and reduce reliance on Western military aid, Zelenskyy revealed that the new “Long Neptune” missile has a range of 1,000 kilometers.

Russia’s Push in Kursk Continues

Russia’s Defense Ministry confirmed that its forces had recaptured the villages of Rubanshchina and Zaoleshenka, both located near Sudzha.

Moscow has intensified efforts to drive Ukrainian troops out of Kursk, where Ukrainian forces seized approximately 100 settlements last August.

According to DeepState, a well-regarded Ukrainian war-tracking blog, Russian forces now control Sudzha, Rubanshchina, and another settlement.

The Ukrainian military’s General Staff did not mention Sudzha in its latest battlefield update but reported 11 armed clashes in the Kursk region, with three still ongoing. It also noted that Russian forces had launched 21 airstrikes, dropped 32 guided bombs, and shelled Ukrainian positions 150 times throughout the day.







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