Key developments on Nov. 23-24: * Ukraine has lost over 40% of territory previously gained in Kursk incursion, Reuters reports * West should 'not set red lines' on providing military support for Ukraine, French foreign minister says * Russia attacked Ukraine with over 800 KAB bombs, 460 drones, 20 missiles this week, Zelensky
Ukraine has lost over 40 per cent of the territory it previously gained in Russia's Kursk Oblast due to Russian counterattacks, Reuters reported on Nov. 23, citing a source in Ukraine's General Staff.
Key developments on Nov. 22: * Russia likely used ballistic missile from 'Kedr' complex to strike Dnipro, intelligence says * Russia plans to launch mass production of Oreshnik missile, Putin says * North Korea received anti-aircraft missiles, oil from Russia in exchange for troops, reports say * Russia has deployed nearly 60,000 troops
Nearly 60,000 Russian army personnel are currently stationed in Russia's Kursk Oblast, Suspilne reported on Nov. 22, citing its undisclosed source in the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces.
A high-ranking North Korean general was wounded in a recent Ukrainian missile strike on Russia’s Kursk Oblast, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Nov. 21, citing undisclosed sources.
According to the source, the strikes were approved as a response to the presence of North Korean troops in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, a sign of escalation by Russia.
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed on Nov. 19 that Ukraine had launched the U.S.-made ATACMS missiles against Russia's Bryansk Oblast. Hours prior, Ukraine struck a Russian military facility in Karachev, Bryansk Oblast, a two-hour drive from the Ukrainian-controlled part of Russia. President Joe Biden's decision to finally allow
The Kyiv Independent sat down with retired U.S. Lieutenant General Ben Hodges to discuss the reports that U.S. President Joe Biden has authorized Ukraine to use long-range ATACMS missiles for strikes inside Russia.
Key developments on Nov. 15: * Scholz condemns war, urges Russia to negotiate with Ukraine in first call with Putin in nearly 2 years * Drone attack reported in Russia's Krasnodar region, explosions heard near military airfield * Russian troops plant flag at border in Chernihiv Oblast, Border Guard says no major offensive
Donald Trump's entrance into the White House on Jan. 20 promises to offer a seismic shift in the U.S.'s approach to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and a potential "freezing" of the war. Trump has repeatedly pledged to end the war within "24 hours," sparking fears he might
The update applies primarily to those currently involved in combat in Russia's Kursk Oblast.
A French military task force named "Champagne" is concluding its mission of training a newly formed brigade of several thousand Ukrainian troops. The brigade will include infantry battalions, engineers, artillery units, and other specialists.
NATO allies believe that Russian President Vladimir Putin is aiming to recapture territory lost to Ukraine in the Kursk region before Donald Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20, The Telegraph reported on Nov. 11.
Kursk Oblast has seen heavy battles since Ukraine launched a cross-border offensive in early August.
Russian forces have suffered 7,905 soldiers killed, 12,220 injured, and 717 captured during almost three months of the Kursk incursion, Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Nov. 6.
As voters in the U.S. head to the polls in presidential elections set to decisively steer the trajectory of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, the situation on the battlefield is beginning to unravel for Kyiv. After two years of brutal attritional warfare across southern and eastern Ukraine, dynamism
"Russia thinks they are very strong, but if we wanted to seize their nuclear power plant, we would have done it, we could have done it, but we never wanted to do it," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Key developments on Oct. 21: * US announces $400 million defense aid package for Ukraine * Russia detains 18 North Korean soldiers who left positions in Kursk Oblast, source says * Kremlin calls North Korean troops reports 'contradictory' but stops short of denial * Russia attacking toward town near Pokrovsk, National Guard says * Ukraine
Ukraine's military intelligence head Kyrylo Budanov said the first group of 2,600 soldiers will be deployed to Russia's Kursk Oblast, where Ukraine began a cross-border incision in August and still holds significant swathes of territory.
Key developments on Oct. 14: * Russian Tu-134 transport aircraft set ablaze over 1,000 km from Ukraine, military intelligence claims * Russia claims capture of Zaporizhzhia Oblast village, Kyiv says 'situation dynamic' * Over 110,000 residents of Kursk Oblast evacuated, Russia's chief ombudsman claims * First Ukrainian troops crossed into Kursk Oblast
Speaking to the Kremlin-controlled outlet Argumenty i Fakty, the official said that this number includes 12,328 people placed at temporary facilities across Russia and around 100,000 living with relatives and friends.
The Kyiv Independent’s Anna Belokur explains the top stories of the week, from the postponement of the Ramstein summit to the two-month anniversary of Ukraine’s surprise incursion into Kursk Oblast.
A Ukrainian official commented that the "Russian plan in Kursk Oblast has been thwarted so far" as Russian forces suffered losses.
"We know about roughly 50,000 soldiers from other sectors who were transferred to the Kursk direction," Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said in a documentary aired on national television.
The reliable flow of supplies into the region and Russia's focus on eastern Ukraine will allow Kyiv to hold territory in Kursk Oblast for months to come, senior U.S. officials said.
Ever since Ukraine launched a lightning incursion deep into Russia territory in early August, Yan, a local resident in the city of Kursk, has been volunteering at a local drop-off point, helping to distribute clothes and bedding. "The number of people arriving at the humanitarian aid points every week is
President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the Kursk operation has made one of the most significant contributions to Ukraine's exchange fund, aiding the release of Ukrainians from captivity.
Key developments on Oct. 4: * Oil depots on fire in Russia's Voronezh Oblast, Perm Krai * Russian forces less than 7 km away from Pokrovsk, authorities say * At least 177 Ukrainian POWs have died in Russian captivity, Kyiv says * EU readies to sanction Iran over missile shipments to Russia, Bloomberg reports
During the visit, President Volodymyr Zelensky also met with the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief to discuss protecting infrastructure, Ukraine's energy sector, and air defenses.
"The local population doesn't understand why they are being hit (by Russian forces) because the (Ukrainian) military is not even nearby," Vadym Mysnyk, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian military's Operational Tactical Group Siversk, said.
As President Volodymyr Zelensky kicked off a visit to the U.S. this week in a bid to secure more firepower for his army, Ukrainian soldiers on the ground monitored the news with half-hearted hope, questioning whether Kyiv’s top Western ally would provide enough to help them defeat Russia.
"I'm not saying it's a resounding success or will bring about the end of the war or the end of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin. What it has done is show our partners what we're capable of," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
