Russia says it retakes two villages in its western Kursk region

16/9/2024 19:04

        Russia said on Monday that its forces had retaken control of two villages in its western Kursk region from Ukraine, continuing what Moscow says is a significant counter-offensive there.
        
        Russian forces have been battling Ukrainian troops in Kursk region since Aug. 6, when Kyiv surprised Moscow with the biggest foreign attack on Russian soil since World War Two.
        
        Reuters could not independently verify the report by Russia's Defence Ministry that its troops had retaken the settlements of Uspenovka and Borki. They lie about 12 miles (20 km) apart on the border with Ukraine's Sumy region.
        
        A senior Russian commander and pro-Kremlin war bloggers said last week that Russia had taken back control of about 10 settlements in the region - an assertion Reuters was unable to confirm.
        
        Ukraine says its forces control about 100 villages in Kursk over an area of more than 1,300 sq km (500 sq miles), which Russian sources dispute.