Russian troops appear near Ukraine’s management from all over the territory, which last year entertained in Russia in Kursk, a success on the battlefield that would deny President Volodymyr Zelenky from Ukraine a significant negotiating chip.
Russian pressure in Kursk seemed to accelerate after President Trump stiffened military assistance and support of news in Ukraine 3 March. Help has renewed This week, when Ukraine agreed to propose Trump’s administration for a 30 -day ceasefire with Russia.
On Thursday, Mr. Putin expressed preliminary support for the proposal, but said he still had questions that required more discussions. These questions, said at a press conference, included the fate of Ukrainian troops still in Kursk – suggesting that it can require Kiev to order their hands.
Here is a view of the Ukrainian entry – the first on Russian soil since World War II – and how Russian troops have been fighting.
Why is Kursk important?
Kursk is an area of Western Russia, which borders the region of Ukraine. Amount It has long been considered a place where Russia could try to open a new front in its full invasion of Ukraine, which began in February 2022.
But in motion, which surprised his key allies, Ukrainian soldiers caught Moscow out of sight last summer, poured a skipped border and opened a new front.
Main goalsOne Ukrainian colonel said New York Times, should divert Russian troops from exhausting fighting in the eastern region of Ukraine, push out Moscow artillery from the Sumy region and damage Russian morale.
Within a few weeks after the invasion had Ukraine introduced Control over a piece of Kursk, which his officials stated that it included almost 500 square miles of agricultural land and settlements. Although barely the source of Russia, the largest country in the world, was an attack for President Vladimir V. Putin embarrassment. It was also surprised by the Allies of Ukraine, including the United States that have not been said in advance.
The most important city in Kursk, which caught Ukrainian forces, was Sudzha, an administrative center with a population of about 5,000 people before the invasion.
Analysts said that the Ukrainian offensive was a gambling and tightened its military resources at a time when Kyiv troops tried to defend the long front line on its own territory.
President Volodymyr from Ukraine said that his army did not want to remain indefinitely on Russian land, and that the territory obtained in Kursk could be used to strengthen Ukraine in future negotiations with Moscow.
How did Russia react?
Initially, rather than diverting a large number of soldiers to defend Kursk, Mr. Putin said that Eastern Ukraine remained remained The main military focus of Moscow. Russian troops continued their creeping progress in Ukraine and accepted City In October and then push further to the west.
The weeks to his entry to Kursk slowed up Ukrainian pressure and its units began to gradually lose land when Russian forces deployed a larger number.
Then, in the autumn, Russia received support from its ally North Korea, who deployed around 11,000 soldiers Kursk help in Moscow defense. Deployment on the first softened Ukraine and its allies. But the North Korean troops suffered a wave of a wave of strong losses and for some time they were withdrawn from the front line.
In recent weeks, Russian forces that have been helping North Korean fighters have progressed rapidly in Kursk and used drones and fighter aircraft to take over most of the territory held by Ukraine.
In the sign of renewed military trust, Mr. Putin visited the command post The Kremlin said near the queue in Kursk late Wednesday.
The best military commander of Ukraine, General Oleksandra Syrsky, pushed back against the idea of an immediate Ukrainian withdrawal from the area. On Wednesday evening, the Ukrainian troops “hold the line in the Kursk area as long as it remains reasonable and necessary”.
On Thursday the Russian Ministry of Defense He claimed that his forces re -disguised Sudzhu. Ukraine did not have an immediate comment. If it is confirmed that the Russian procedure would leave only small pockets of Russian land along the border below the Ukrainian control.
