Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and top military leaders announced the full liberation of the Kursk region from Ukrainian forces on Saturday. The final battle took place in the village of Gornal near the Ukrainian border, where Russian forces captured a key monastery complex. Putin praised Russian service members for defeating the “neo-Nazi groups” that had occupied sovereign Russian territory for over six months. He declared the invasion attempt a failure and highlighted the substantial losses suffered by the enemy.
Chief of the general staff Gen. Valery V. Gerasimov informed Putin that the Ukrainian armed forces attacking the Kursk region had been defeated. The operation to retake Kursk was a top priority for the Kremlin, especially as negotiations with the US were ongoing to avoid territorial exchanges. With the liberation of Kursk, Moscow now has more leverage on the battlefield and at the negotiating table.
The White House acknowledged that Ukrainian President Zelensky had little leverage left, further strengthening Moscow’s position. The timely liberation of Kursk has shifted the balance of power in favor of Russia.