Russian forces have recaptured the town of Sudzha in the Kursk region, Moscow officials said Thursday, as Ukraine struggles to maintain its hold on Russian territory and the U.S. pushes for a ceasefire. Russia's Ministry of Defense stated that "in the course of the offensive operations, units of the North military group liberated the settlements of Melovoy, Podol and Sudzha."
The U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War reported that battlefield footage suggested Russian forces had seized Sudzha and advanced toward the settlement of southern Zaoleshenka, northwest of the town. Russian officials have called the operation a success, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov telling reporters that "President (Vladimir Putin) said that this needs to be done as quickly as possible." Peskov added that "there is no doubt that the Kursk region will be liberated fairly soon."
The Russian advance comes as U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow for ceasefire talks. According to Kremlin state media, Russian officials expect a briefing on a U.S.-backed 30-day ceasefire, which Ukraine has already accepted. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Witkoff was in Moscow, but details of his meetings were not disclosed.
President Donald Trump addressed the situation on Wednesday, stating, "We're going to have to see. It's up to Russia now." He declined to say whether he planned to meet with Putin, but signaled potential economic consequences for Moscow if a ceasefire is rejected. "In a financial sense, we could do things very bad for Russia. It would be devastating for Russia. But I don't want to do that because I want to see peace," Trump said.
Putin made a surprise visit to Kursk on Wednesday, appearing in military uniform on Russian state television. He told frontline troops that Russian forces should "completely liberate" the region from Ukrainian forces "as soon as possible." During his speech, he described Ukrainian troops captured in Kursk as "terrorists" and suggested that Russia should not extend Geneva Convention protections to foreign fighters supporting Ukraine.
Ukraine has not commented on Russia's claim of Sudzha's recapture, but Ukrainian General Oleksandr Syrskyi said Wednesday that Russian aviation had carried out an "unprecedented" number of airstrikes in the region and that the town was "almost completely destroyed." He also hinted at further Ukrainian withdrawals, stating that Ukrainian forces were "maneuvering to more advantageous lines."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the situation, saying, "The Russians are clearly trying to put maximum pressure on our troops. The military command is doing what it has to do, saving as many lives as possible."
Russian General Valery Gerasimov claimed Wednesday that Russian forces had retaken "more than 86%" of the territory seized by Ukraine last year. He further stated that "430 Ukrainian soldiers" had been taken prisoner and that the remaining Ukrainian troops in Kursk were surrounded.
The battlefield shifts have also led to changes in Ukraine's military leadership. Major General Dmytro Krasylnykov, commander of Ukraine's Northern Operational Command, confirmed to local media outlet Suspilne on Wednesday that he had been dismissed. "I'm guessing, but I don't want to talk about it yet," he said, when asked about the reason for his removal.
