Ukraine's military leadership revealed details on Tuesday regarding the progress of their troops in the Kursk region of Russia. According to the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian military, they have captured approximately 1,263 square kilometers (488 square miles) of Russian territory and 93 settlements within that area. Ukrainian forces have advanced around 28-35 kilometers (17-22 miles) deep into Kursk.
The incursion into Russia's Kursk region began on August 6, with Ukrainian troops capturing around 1,000 square kilometers (386 square miles) and 74 settlements within the first week. Despite a slower pace in the second week, Ukrainian forces continued to make territorial gains.
As of August 11, Russian forces had occupied about 109,338 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory. By Tuesday, this figure had increased to 109,416 square kilometers. In comparison, Russia had captured 1,253 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory so far this year, slightly less than what Ukraine had taken in Kursk over the past two weeks.
The surprise invasion into Russian lands caught Moscow and international allies off guard. In response, Russia redirected some units from operations in and around Ukraine to the Kursk region. Recent footage shared by Ukraine's military showed airstrikes on key Russian infrastructure in Kursk, indicating a combined-arms operation within Russia.
The operation in Kursk aims to create a security zone to prevent Russia from launching attacks against Ukraine from within the area. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the assault in Kursk is intended to establish a buffer zone on Russian territory.
