Ukrainian media have started dropping serious hints at Russia's push to take back Kursk nearing success. Kyiv has agreed that Russian soldiers have managed to take back two-thirds of Kursk which its forces managed to seize in a surprise counter-offense in August 2024.
An aggressive assault along with North Korean units has helped Russia to also enter the Ukrainian territory of Sumy. Moscow's forces were unable to reach anywhere near Sumy to date after the initial days of the invasion, reports said. As things stand, it is not justifiable to risk more Ukrainian lives in Kursk Oblast, many experts and journalists in the war-torn country think.
**[ALSO READ | North Korean soldiers flexing muscle in Kursk? Ukrainian supply line almost cut off as Russia plans to encircle enemy](https://www.theweek.in/news/world/2025/03/08/north-korean-soldiers-on-return-break-ukraine-defense-in-kursk-kyiv-supply-line-almost-cut-off-as-russia-plans-to-encircle-enemy.html)**
It was not revealed if Donald Trump's non-cooperation was a reason behind Ukrainian soldiers having a tough time in Kursk. Many of its major supply routes have been cut off by the Russian-North Korean alliance and Kyiv's fighters are trying to protect the remaining ones to avoid being encircled. If these positions are overrun, the Ukrainian soldiers can't even retreat on vehicled and will be forced to travel on foot, Kyiv Post had said.
Russian soldiers reclaimed four more villages in the contested border region before managing to enter Sumy. Following the fall of Lebedevka, Malaya Loknya, Cherkasskoye Porechnoye and Kositsa to Russian hands, Ukrainian troops have made the defence of the town of Sudzha a priority. It is in these regions that Russian Special Forces crawled many kilometres through gas pipelines to flank and outgun Ukrainian defensive positions.
**[WATCH HERE | Kursk war videos: How Russian soldiers walked 15 kilometres inside gas pipeline to ambush Ukrainian positions!](https://www.theweek.in/news/world/2025/03/10/kursk-war-how-russian-soldiers-walked-15-kilometres-inside-gas-pipeline-to-ambush-ukrainian-positions.html)**
According to the latest reports, Vladimir Putin's forces are about 10 kilometres away from this strategic town.
Russian military sources identified the seized Sumy territory as Novenke, the Kyiv Post report said. The Fall of Sumy could further strangle Ukraine's reinforcement from reaching crucial Kursk posts which could well be a knockout punch. Volodymyr Zelenskyy wants Kursk to remain under his men so that it can be used for bargaining in case of talks. In exchange for Kursk, his government hoped to demand the freedom of Ukrainian territories being held by Russia. Thus, a retreat from the region could deal a big blow to Kyiv's prospects.