Ukrainian forces continue to operate in Russia's Kursk Oblast, despite Moscow's claims to the contrary, the Ukrainian battlefield monitoring service DeepState reported on April 26.
Russia announced on April 26 that it had fully recaptured Kursk Oblast from Ukrainian troops, who launched a surprise incursion into the border region in August 2024. Ukraine's General Staff denied the claim. A military source also told the Kyiv Independent that Kyiv continues to hold territories in Kursk.
Ukraine faces a difficult situation in Kursk, but the Kremlin's announcement was "a fake," according to DeepState.
Russia has advanced in Kursk, the group reported. Russian forces have "almost completely occupied" the village of Gornal and gained ground near Oleshnya, where Ukrainian forces had been holding onto limited positions.
"These are the last villages around which the Defense Forces fighters retain control," DeepState said.
"Therefore, the Kursk Operation is still ongoing ... In particular, (Ukrainian troops) are searching for and destroying enemy logistics, their concentration points, etc."
The group reported that Ukrainian troops are still engaging in combat with Russian and North Korean personnel in Kursk Oblast.
Russia's announcement on April 26 marked the first time Moscow has acknowledged the participation of North Korean troops in the war against Ukraine. Kyiv and Seoul have previously said that North Korea has dispatched around 11,000 troops to fight alongside Russian forces in Kursk Oblast, warning that it represents a dramatic escalation in Russia's war.
Natalia Yermak
(Updated: )
