Russia

Moscow: City of Sudzha in Kursk region liberated

ARCHIVE - A damaged monument to the founder of the Soviet Union, Vladimir Lenin, stands in Sudzha (archive photo). Photo: Uncredited/AP/dpa

Keystone

Moscow's armed forces say they have liberated the small town of Sudzha in the Kursk region of western Russia, which has been occupied by Ukrainian troops for over seven months. This was announced by the Ministry of Defense in Moscow. The towns of Melovoi and Podol were also recaptured. Russian troops have been reporting progress for days in retaking the areas in the Kursk region that have been under siege by Ukrainian forces since August 2024. Sudzha was considered Ukraine's most important conquest in Russia.

Keystone-SDA

13.03.2025, 11:07•13.03.2025, 11:50

The Ukrainian side did not initially confirm the loss. The Ukrainian General Staff's report from the previous evening spoke of repulsed attacks. The Kursk front section was not mentioned in the morning report. However, both Commander-in-Chief Olexander Syrskyj and President Volodymyr Selenskyj had previously admitted that, in case of doubt, a retreat would take place in order to save the lives of their own soldiers.

Selensky had repeatedly described the Kursk offensive as a great success in the fight against the Russian war of aggression. The loss of the territory is considered a serious setback because Ukraine wanted to use the areas under its control as a bargaining chip in possible negotiations with Russia.

Putin ordered the complete liberation of the Kursk region

Russian media and military bloggers had already reported the day before that Sudzha had been liberated. Moscow's troops had raised the Russian flag over the city administration building, according to a commander. Maps from Ukrainian military observers already showed Sudzha as being under Russian control.

On Wednesday evening, Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin ordered the rapid and complete liberation of the region during his first visit to the Kursk region. His appearance in military uniform was already seen as an indication of Ukraine's defeat there.

The Ukrainian forces were able to conquer more than 1,000 square kilometers in the Kursk region during their counterattack last August. Russia has been waging fierce battles for months - at times also supported by North Korean soldiers - to recapture the territory. Most recently, the Ukrainians came under massive pressure and had to retreat from several towns and villages.