Ukrainian forces continue to defend against Russian and North Korean forces in Russia's Kursk region, as reported by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Saturday. There are concerns of an impending attack on Ukraine's Sumy region to the northeast.
According to military analysts, Russia is close to pushing Ukrainian troops out of their foothold in western Russia, which was taken last August. This development led U.S. President to caution that thousands of Ukrainian troops were "completely surrounded."
Russia's Defence Ministry announced the recapture of two villages near Sudzha, located 10 km (six miles) from the Ukrainian border, a town previously reclaimed on Thursday by Moscow. More than 300 residents were evacuated from the surrounding areas by Russia's Emergencies Ministry.
Acting governor of the region, Alexander Khinshtein, mentioned plans to restore the recaptured territories and determine the number of residents willing to return to their homes.
Zelenskiy pointed out on social media, after a briefing from his top general, that Ukrainian troops in Kursk were not encircled, but he expressed concerns about Moscow amassing forces nearby, hinting at a potential attack on Sumy.
Regarding diplomatic efforts, Zelenskiy highlighted the need for international partners to realize Putin's intentions and actions, emphasizing Russia's apparent disregard for peaceful resolutions.
In the midst of these developments, Ukraine successfully deployed a new domestically-produced long-range missile in combat near the strategic city of Pokrovsk. Kyiv aims to bolster its domestic defense industry and reduce reliance on Western support for critical military capabilities.
Zelenskiy disclosed that Ukraine's new "long Neptune" missile has a range of 1,000 kilometers. The situation sees Russian forces recapturing villages in the Kursk region, intensifying efforts to dislodge Ukrainian forces from the area.
The Ukrainian military General Staff reported 11 armed clashes in the Kursk region, with ongoing conflicts. Russian forces carried out airstrikes, guided bomb attacks, and shelled Ukrainian positions frequently.