Ukraine Takes Control of Russian Town of Sudzha, Zelensky Announces

On Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Ukrainian forces have captured the Russian town of Sudzha. This announcement comes over a week after Kyiv’s troops launched a cross-border operation into Russia’s Kursk region.

The town, situated 105 kilometers (65 miles) southwest of Kursk, has been under Ukrainian control since last Wednesday. This is the first official confirmation of the capture from the Ukrainian president.

Ukrainian military leader Oleksandr Syrskyi revealed that Ukrainian forces have advanced 35 kilometers (21.7 miles) through Russian defenses since their surprise offensive began. They have taken control of 1,150 square kilometers and 82 settlements.

A military command center has been established in Sudzha to manage local needs and maintain order, Syrskyi said. Sudzha’s proximity to a key Russian gas terminal has led to speculation that Ukraine’s goal might be to disrupt a major source of revenue for Moscow.

The ground incursion has displaced tens of thousands of Russians and put pressure on Moscow as it scrambles to respond. In addition, Ukrainian drones carried out their largest attack of the war on Wednesday, targeting four Russian airfields in Kursk, Voronezh, and Nizhny Novgorod. Russia’s defense ministry claimed to have shot down 117 drones and four tactical missiles in response.

This aggressive move by Ukraine, marking the first foreign troops’ entry into Russian territory since World War II, has embarrassed the Kremlin. In response, Russia has redeployed reserves from key battlegrounds in Ukraine and Crimea to defend against the Ukrainian advance.

The Russian Ministry of Defense reported Thursday that they have recaptured the village of Krupets in the Kursk region from Ukrainian forces. Russian President Vladimir Putin has pledged to drive Ukrainian troops out of Russian territory, following reports of several Russian villages being under Ukrainian control.

Meanwhile, Ukraine continues to face heavy fighting on the eastern front. On Thursday, it reported some of the fiercest battles in weeks near the city of Pokrovsk. Serhii Dobriak, head of Pokrovsk’s military administration, warned that the enemy forces are now just 6 miles (10 kilometers) from the city and urged residents to evacuate immediately.