Putin appears in Kursk, orders troops to expel Ukrainians

President Vladimir Putin has unexpectedly visited a command post in Kursk in the war zone in view of the successful counteroffensive by his troops in the Russian-Ukrainian border region.

Putin ordered Russian troops to expel the remaining Ukrainian units from Kursk, the Russian state news agency TASS reported on Wednesday.

Pictures of the meeting with Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov showed Putin in camouflage uniform. The exact location was not disclosed.

TASS said it was the first visit to this part of the front for the Russian president.

In August 2024, Ukrainian units had unexpectedly invaded Russia, thus shifting the war to the enemy’s territory for the first time.

After the Ukrainians were able to hold this bridgehead for a long time, they have had to retreat ever more quickly in recent days under Russian pressure.

On Wednesday, according to Moscow, Russian troops occupied the district capital Sudzha, which had been the backbone of the Ukrainian advance for seven months. However, the area has not yet been completely cleared.

The Ukrainian leadership had occupied the area as a bargaining chip for possible negotiations with Russia, the chief of staff explained.

In addition, the seven-month advance was intended to tie down Russian forces. “But these intentions of the enemy have failed completely,” Gerasimov claimed.

Gerasimov reported that 430 Ukrainian soldiers were allegedly captured near Kursk.

Ukraine has been defending itself against a Russian invasion for more than three years.