The Moscow Ministry of Defense said on Thursday that Russian troops have seized the small town of Sudzha in Russia’s Kursk border area from Ukrainian troops.
The ministry said the settlements of Melovo and Podor were also liberated.
Ukraine has not confirmed it yet.
Ukrainian commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi and President Volodymyr Zelensky said soldiers would retreat when the number of Russians far exceeded the number.
Sudzha is the most important population center in the Kursk region, and Ukrainian troops were under control during its entry into Russian territory in August last year.
Russian state media and war bloggers said on Wednesday that the Russian flag was hung in Sudzha city hall.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, dressed in military uniform, visited Kursk on Wednesday night and called for the rapid liberation of the region from Ukrainian forces.
Ukraine is able to occupy more than 1,000 square kilometers in Kursk. Russia has been fighting fiercely, including with the support of North Korean soldiers, for months to retake the territory.
Russia’s efforts have paid off, with Ukraine recently withdrawing from several villages.
Zelensky said Kursk’s offense was an important bargain in potential negotiations with Moscow.
