Russia says it has taken back another village in the Kursk region from Ukrainian troops

Russian officials said on Saturday that Russia pushed Ukrainian troops from one of the last footholds in Russia’s Kursk region, officials said Saturday.

According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, its troops control the village of Olshniya on the border with Ukraine.

“During the active offensive operation, units of the ‘North’ army liberated the village of Olshniya in the Kursk region,” the ministry said in a statement. The Associated Press was unable to verify the claim immediately, and Ukrainian officials did not respond immediately.

According to Tass, Russia is still working to push Ukrainian troops out of the village of Gornal, about seven miles (11 kilometers) south of Oleshnya.

“The Russian army has not yet driven the Ukrainian armed forces out of Gornar … in order to fully liberate the Kursk region. In the settlements, fierce fighting is underway.”

Russian and North Korean soldiers almost stripped Kiev of bargaining chips by recapturing much of the region, where Ukrainian troops conducted a surprise invasion last year.

Among other developments, the Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia launched 87 explosions of drones and baits overnight until Saturday. It said 33 of them were intercepted and another 36 were lost, possibly blocked by electronics.

The Ukrainian Emergency Services Ministry said the Russian attack damaged farms in the Odessa area and fired in the Sumi area overnight. The fire was contained and no casualties were found.

Meanwhile, the Russian Ministry of Defense said its air defense system shot down two Ukrainian drones until Saturday.