Russia has retaken majority of territory Ukraine occupied in Kursk region – MOD
Four villages in the border region have been recaptured in January alone, the Defense Ministry has said
Russian troops have now liberated more than 63% of the territory in Kursk Region previously occupied by the Ukrainian military, the Defense Ministry in Moscow has said. This equates to 801 sq. km out of the 1,268 sq. km seized by Kiev’s forces during its August incursion, it added.
In the first two weeks of January, units from the North military grouping reclaimed the villages of Alexandriya, Leonidovo, Russkoye Porechnoye, and Kruglenkoye, the Russian military announced on Telegram on Friday.
Over the past 24 hours, a Ukrainian counterattack aimed at halting the Russian advance near the village of Berdin was repelled. The Russian military reported inflicting significant losses on Ukrainian troops, forcing them to retreat to their original positions.
Ukraine’s losses in the area totaled more than 230 servicemen over the past 24 hours, according the Defense Ministry in Moscow. Destroyed equipment included a tank, three armored personnel carriers – two of which were US-made Strykers – two armored combat vehicles, and four artillery pieces.
“Russian troops are advancing in all directions. The enemy is suffering significant losses and retreating from the occupied territories, despite the transfer of additional reserves,” the military said.
In the first two weeks of 2025 alone, Ukrainian forces lost over 5,600 soldiers and more than 570 pieces of military equipment in Kursk Region. The latter included 40 tanks, 213 infantry fighting vehicles, and other armored vehicles, 91 artillery pieces and mortars, and over 210 other vehicles, according to the ministry.
Ukraine launched its large-scale incursion into Kursk Region in early August. The offensive aimed to force Russia to divert resources away from the main front and also potentially use the occupied territory as a bargaining chip in any peace negotiations. However, Russia’s advances in Donbass have continued unabated.
Since the onset of the hostilities in Kursk Region, Ukrainian forces there have lost over 52,450 personnel, 304 tanks, 231 infantry fighting vehicles, 173 armored personnel carriers, 1,562 armored combat vehicles, 371 artillery pieces, 44 multiple rocket launchers, including 13 US-made HIMARS and six MLRS systems, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.
