Ukraine maintains control over 90 square kilometers (35 square miles) in Russia’s Kursk region, nearly a year after its August 2024 incursion.
Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi described the operation as a preemptive strike to thwart Russian plans, with Ukrainian forces holding ground in the Hlushkov district.
This presence has disrupted Russia’s ability to shift troops to Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, where heavy fighting continues along a 1,200-kilometer frontline.
Approximately 10,000 Russian troops, bolstered by 11,000 North Korean soldiers deployed last autumn, are attempting to dislodge Ukrainian forces from Kursk.
Despite Moscow’s claims of recapturing the area, Ukraine’s grip on 90 square kilometers persists, though recent retreats have occurred amid 70,000 Russian troops and drone assaults.
Russia’s ongoing missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities further strain Ukraine’s air defenses, which neutralize 82% of Shahed-type drones but lack sufficient missile systems to fully protect infrastructure.
Ukraine’s Kursk operation has inflicted $1.3 billion in direct losses to Russian oil and fuel industries between January and May, plus $9.5 billion in indirect damages through logistical disruptions.
Syrskyi, emphasizing precision, stated, “Given that we are not fighting against the population, we are fighting and destroying purely military targets.”
Ukraine is advancing its long-range strikes and developing new air defense tactics, including drone interceptors, to counter Russian aggression and escalate the war’s for Moscow.