Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukrainian forces have taken full control of the Russian town of Sudzha in the Kursk region, marking the largest town reportedly seized by Ukraine so far.

The town, with a prewar population of around 5,000, is strategically important due to its role in Russian natural gas flows to Europe.

Zelenskyy mentioned that a Ukrainian military command office is being established in Sudzha, but details were sparse.

Russia has not officially responded to Zelenskyy’s claim, but its defense ministry stated that Russian forces blocked attempts to capture other communities.

Satellite images suggest that recent Ukrainian drone attacks damaged Russian air bases, although the impact on Russian military assets remains unclear.

In response to Ukraine’s advance, the acting governor of Kursk ordered the evacuation of the Glushkovo region.

The incursion into the Kursk region has led to the evacuation of over 120,000 residents. Additionally, Russia declared a federal-level state of emergency in the Belgorod region, indicating a worsening situation, the Associated Press has reported.

Despite Ukrainian claims of significant territorial gains in the Kursk region, Russian officials and military bloggers have downplayed the advances, describing the situation as involving small Ukrainian sabotage groups rather than a full-scale front line.

Written by B.C. Begley