Russia Retakes Key Villages in Kursk as Ukraine Denies Troop Encirclement

Moscow claims significant gains in Kursk, while Ukraine accuses Russia of prolonging the war and escalating attacks near its border.

Russian forces have recaptured the villages of Zaoleshenka and Rubanshchina in the Kursk region, with Moscow claiming control over most of the territory previously seized by Ukraine last summer.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky denied claims that Ukrainian troops are encircled in Kursk, stating that forces are holding defensive positions against Russian and North Korean troops.
North Korean soldiers have reportedly been deployed in human wave attacks to weaken Ukrainian defenses during Russia's offensive, leading to heavy casualties on both sides.
Ukraine had initially seized Kursk territory as a strategic bargaining chip for potential peace negotiations, but recent losses have forced a tactical withdrawal to the Ukrainian border.
Amid escalating conflict, Russia has also accused Ukraine of a drone strike on an oil depot in Krasnodar, while Zelensky warns of potential Russian attacks on Ukraine's Sumy region.