Russia says it is repelling a new Ukrainian offensive in the Kursk region

Moscow said on Sunday it was repelling a new Ukrainian offensive in the Russian border region of Kursk, where kyiv’s forces already control several hundred square kilometers since an assault in August 2024, a surprise operation two weeks before Donald Trump’s return home. -White.

Entry into his duties as the unpredictable Republican on January 20 makes Ukraine fear a drastic reduction in support from the United States, which is nevertheless vital for the Ukrainian forces, and that the next American president, who has sworn to be able to resolve the conflict in 24 hoursdoes not force the Ukrainians to make concessions in the face of Vladimir Putin.

Around 9 a.m., the enemy launched a counterattack to stop the advance of Russian troops in the Kursk areathe Russian army said in a statement on Sunday.

The assault group of the Ukrainian army was defeated by artillery and aviation and the operation to destroy units of the Ukrainian forces continues.

The Ukrainian army remains silent for the moment about this new operation.

Russia is now supported in this area by thousands of North Korean soldiers, according to the West and kyiv.

The head of the Ukrainian presidential administration, Andriy Yermak, broadcast a fairly clear message on Telegram: Kursk region, good news. Russia gets what it deserves.

A communication tackled by Ukrainian MP Oleksiï Goncharenko, regularly critical of the government: I don’t understand why it is necessary to make an official report.

Perhaps it would be better to do it after the fact, once the operation is complete?he commented.

Andriï Kovalenko, an official of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council, for his part assured that the Russians had were attacked from several sides, which surprised them.

According to the Telegram channel Mash, considered close to the Russian authorities, Ukrainian army men move in small groups.

The total number of their soldiers amounts to 2000she added.

According to Russian military bloggers, well informed of the progress of the hostilities, Ukrainian forces are particularly trying to take control of Berdine, a small town located about 20 kilometers from the border.

Enemy electronic warfare equipment is increasingly active at the site, hampering the use of dronesthe channel said on Telegram Rybarclose to the Russian army and followed by more than 1.3 million subscribers.

This Ukrainian assault in the Kursk region comes two weeks before the return to the White House of Donald Trump, who called for an “immediate” ceasefire and promised to obtain a peace agreement to stop the carnagewithout however detailing his plan.

He also said he was opposed to Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory with American ATACMS missiles, a red line for Moscow.

To learn more about Donald Trump and the war in Ukraine:

This new offensive by kyiv also comes five months after the first in the same region of Kursk, which took Russian forces by surprise, a failure for President Vladimir Putin who praises a Russia more sovereign since the launch of his men’s assault against Ukraine in February 2022.

The master of the Kremlin, who appeared irritated on television in August in the wake of the Ukrainian military operation on the soil of his country, had called on the Russian army to repel the enemy outside the borders.

kyiv’s objectives were then to force Moscow to redeploy its troops, attacking the eastern front, to this new battlefield and to strengthen its position at the negotiating table before possible peace talks.

The operation did not have the desired effect: Russian units have been advancing on the Eastern Front since the fall at a speed not seen since March 2022.

Despite everything, a highly placed source within the general staff of the Ukrainian army assured at the end of November that it would remain in the Kursk region. as long that this would have an interestspecifying that she was still in control at that time environ 800 km2.