The Kremlin stated on Thursday that its forces are near to completing an operation aimed at driving Ukrainian forces out of the Kursk region of western Russia. This development comes seven months after Kyiv’s troops made a daring incursion there, seizing significant amounts of territory.

The Russian Defense Ministry also announced that its forces have retaken the Kursk town of Sudzha, which, if confirmed, would represent a major victory for Moscow.

These statements follow a visit by President Vladimir Putin to the region on Wednesday, during which he ordered his military commanders to conclude the operation as rapidly as possible.

Ukraine’s incursion into the Kursk region in August has been a source of embarrassment for the Kremlin and marks the first occupation of Russian soil by foreign troops since World War Two.

In its effort to dislodge the Ukrainian presence, Russia has reportedly deployed North Korean troops.