Ukrainian troops have withdrawn from much of the Kursk region that they previously controlled, holding on to only a small strip of land on the Russian border, according to military analysts and soldiers. As Moscow’s counterattacks have intensified, the Ukrainian campaign to occupy the region appears to be concluding, having shrunk from some 500 square miles to just 30 square miles, as reported by military analyst Pasi Paroinen from the Finland-based Black Bird Group.

Ukrainian forces, at the height of their campaign, managed to hold onto a substantial area of the Kursk region. However, following persistent Russian airstrikes and drone assaults, they have been forced to retreat from numerous villages and the key town of Sudzha.

The remaining area under Ukrainian control is strategically significant as a defensive position against further Russian advances towards Ukraine’s Sumy region. Ukrainian soldiers describe the ongoing conflict as being more about securing advantageous defensive positions than the usual goal of occupying land.

The withdrawal from Kursk, while swift, is said to be more organized compared to other regions and hadn’t yet led to en masse encirclement or capture of Ukrainian troops, contrary to some claims made by Russian officials.

Ukraine had hoped its control over parts of the Kursk region would be a point of leverage in any future negotiations to end the war. However, the Ukrainian government has agreed to a U.S.-backed, one-month cease-fire, provided that Russia does the same. The Kremlin has yet to agree, and negotiations on the cease-fire terms appear to be stalled.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke by phone on this matter, discussing “next steps,” but details from both parties have been scarce.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/16/world/europe/kursk-russia-ukraine.html