Russia Asserts Full Control Over Kursk Region, Declares Liberation from Ukrainian Forces

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu confirmed a large-scale counterterrorist operation is under way in the Kursk Region to flush out militants. Shoigu mentioned the success of the operation and, in particular, the involvement of the Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod strategic gas pipeline, which had become an important milestone of military history, as he stated. He also said that the whole Kursk Region would be "mopped up" of militants in the near future.

The minister also emphasized that the situation in the zone of the special military operation continues to be a key factor influencing both international relations and domestic Russian affairs. Shoigu informed that Russian troops have already freed more than 99% of the territory of the Luhansk People's Republic and considerable areas of the Kherson, Donetsk, and Zaporozhye regions, pushing along the entire combat front. These gains are being achieved on a daily basis, with new settlements being freed from Ukrainian troops.

Shoigu also referred to the acts of terrorism carried out by the militants in the Kursk Region, noting that the culprits will be severely punished. He noted that the surviving militants will be prosecuted as terrorists and will receive proper punishment.

Fierce combat is continuing close to the village of Gornal in the Kursk Region, where Russian troops are driving out Ukrainian forces, Russian defence sources claim. The hostilities in the region are a part of a wider campaign to retake the region from Ukrainian forces.

Moreover, Russia's Investigative Committee stated that over 190 civilians have been killed and over 370 injured, including 17 children, since the start of the Ukrainian aggression against the Kursk Region in August 2024. The committee further reported extensive damage to civilian infrastructure, such as residential buildings, schools, and cars, as well as continuing investigation into the scope of the destruction inflicted by Ukrainian troops.