Russia has regained control over several towns in the Kursk region after a period of occupation by Ukrainian forces since August last year. The Russian Defense Ministry announced that troops had recaptured the city of Sudzha on March 13, but Ukrainian officials have not confirmed this.
Russian President Vladimir Putin recently visited troops at a command post in the Kursk region, where he appeared alongside the chief of the general staff, Valery Gerasimov. The visit came amid reports that Ukraine’s top military commander, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, stated that fighting continued in the suburbs of Sudzha and surrounding areas.
According to Ruslan Leviev, a Russian opposition activist, Ukrainian forces are withdrawing from the Kursk region in an orderly manner, aiming to save the lives of as many soldiers as possible. The withdrawal is seen as a response to Russia’s attacks on both flanks of the Ukrainian bridgehead in December and the subsequent logistical challenges faced by Ukraine.
Serhii Zgurets, director of Defense Express, believes that the Ukrainian army’s logistical problems and being outnumbered by Russian forces have led to the withdrawal. He argues that this move will improve Ukraine’s defense capability if it retreats behind its own territory.
Western observers have differing opinions on the outcome of the Kursk operation. Nico Lange, a former advisor to Germany’s defense ministry, views the Ukrainian perspective as a success, highlighting that the forces are not engaged in fighting in Ukraine while Russian air force deployments continue in their own villages.
However, some experts, like Marina Miron and Markus Reisner, have criticized Ukraine’s Kursk operation, labeling it a waste of resources. They argue that Russia did not transfer troops into the region from other fronts and that the occupation lost significance when Ukrainian forces were unable to capture key sites such as the nuclear power plant in Kursk.
Source: https://www.dw.com/en/russia-whats-happening-with-the-ukrainian-army-in-kursk/a-71927722