Russian forces escalate attacks, Ukraine holds Kursk firm
The Russian armed forces are intensifying their attacks on Ukrainian positions in the Kursk region, engaging special forces from multiple directions. Ukraine still controls around 116 square miles of territory in this area. In a recent report, the UK Ministry of Defense provided information on the current situation around Kursk.
Russian troops continue their offensive against Ukrainian positions in the Kursk region, attacking from the west, north, and east. The latest intelligence update from the British Ministry of Defence emphasized that Ukrainians continue to hold approximately 115 square miles of the Kursk region.
Despite the increasing intensity of their actions, the Russians were conducting fewer offensive operations at the beginning of 2025 than at the end of 2024. They are exerting intense pressure on Ukrainian troops in the Kursk region but remain unable to expel the opponent from territories they control.
Ukrainian counterattacks in the Donetsk region
In the Donetsk region, near Pokrovsk, Ukrainian forces have successfully executed counterattacks against the towns of Pischane, Udachne, Shevchenko, and Kytyre. The report's authors explain that the reduced frequency of Russian attacks on Ukrainian positions has enabled numerous Ukrainian counterattacks.
The latest intelligence report from the British states that the Russian army faces another regional issue. Ukrainian drones are effectively destroying Russian logistical transports.
Ukrainian troops entered the Kursk region on August 6, 2024, to force the Russians to redirect some of their forces from Donbas. In response, Russia deployed soldiers from North Korea to this region. It is estimated that as many as 10,000 North Korean soldiers could be in the Kursk region.