The Russian Defense Ministry claims its forces have taken full control of Sudzha in Kursk Oblast as part of their ongoing offensive.
In its latest Telegram update on Thursday, March 13, the ministry stated:
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“The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue to defeat the Ukrainian Armed Forces units in Kursk Oblast.”
According to the report, Russian troops from the “North” group also seized the settlements of Melovaya and Podol.
The ministry further claimed that Ukrainian forces lost over 340 soldiers in a single day, with total Ukrainian casualties in the Kursk region allegedly exceeding 67,150 since the beginning of hostilities. These figures remain unverified, though.
“The operation to destroy the Ukrainian Armed Forces units continues,” the statement reads.
Russia’s Defense Ministry also released a video titled “Sudzha Under the Control of Russian Troops,” showing damaged buildings. However, Kyiv Post was unable to independently verify the time and location of the footage.
On Wednesday, pro-Kremlin media circulated another video allegedly showing Russian soldiers in Sudzha’s city center, near what appears to be Sovetskaya Square. The authenticity of this footage remains unverified.
Ukraine’s response
On the morning of March 13, Kyiv Post reached out to Ukraine’s General Staff for comment, receiving the following response: “We currently have no information on the operational situation.”
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Officials, however, promised updates as soon as new details become available.
As of this article’s publication, neither the Ukrainian General Staff nor Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky has explicitly confirmed that Sudzha is under full Russian control.
However, the General Staff’s latest battle maps indicate continued Russian advances in Kursk Oblast.
As of the morning of March 13, Ukrainian-held territory in Kursk Oblast had further shrunk over the past 24 hours. Compared to the map from March 12, Russian forces have advanced in and around Sudzha and to the north of the town.
According to the General Staff, Ukrainian troops repelled 17 Russian attacks in the region over the past day. Russian forces carried out 334 artillery strikes, including 12 multiple-launch rocket system (MLRS) barrages, and launched 29 airstrikes, dropping 33 guided bombs.
The DeepState monitoring service also confirms Russia’s territorial gains. Ukrainian-controlled territory in Kursk Oblast reportedly shrank from 197 square kilometers on March 11 to 140 square kilometers (54 square miles) by March 12.
Syrsky: Ukraine will defend Kursk ‘as long as necessary’
Despite intensifying Russian assaults, Syrsky on Wednesday evening vowed that Ukrainian forces would continue to fight in Kursk Oblast.
“My priority remains to protect the lives of our soldiers,” he said. “If needed, our units will reposition to more strategic locations. Despite the increased pressure from the Russian-North Korean alliance, we will defend Kursk Oblast as long as necessary.”
He also claimed that Russia has suffered heavy losses in the pursuit of its political objectives. Since Ukraine launched operations in Kursk, Russian forces have reportedly lost 54,900 soldiers, though this figure remains unverified.
ISW confirms Russian advances
According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russian troops have recently captured Sudzha and are continuing their offensive deeper into Kursk Oblast.
Geolocated footage published on March 12 confirms that Russian forces control Sudzha and have advanced toward southern Zaoleshenka, northwest of the town.
A Ukrainian source reportedly linked to military intelligence stated that Ukrainian forces have begun withdrawing from Sudzha.
Meanwhile, Russian military bloggers report ongoing battles near Zaoleshenka, Goncharovka, and Guyevo, as well as in Ukraine’s Sumy region, west of Sudzha, where fighting has been reported near Zhuravka, Novenke, and Basivka.
Ukrainian forces initially gained ground in Kursk Oblast during their August 2024 offensive, but recent Russian advances have reversed some of those gains.
Since early March, Russia has reportedly seized 24 settlements in the region, coinciding with the suspension of US intelligence-sharing with Ukraine.
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