Russian forces recaptured three more settlements in the western Kursk region, the Defence Ministry said on Sunday, as Moscow pushes to reclaim territory seized by Ukraine last August.

The Russian Defence Ministry announced the capture of Malaya Lokhnya, Cherkasskoye Porechnoye, and Kositsa, north of the town of Sudzha, as its forces press their offensive in Kursk. The operation follows reports by Russian bloggers that special forces advanced miles through a gas pipeline to surprise Ukrainian troops.

Ukraine’s military said Russian forces attempted to use the pipeline as an entry point but were detected and hit with artillery, drones, and rockets. Kyiv reported repelling 15 Russian attacks in Kursk, with clashes ongoing and airstrikes targeting Ukrainian positions.

The situation in Kursk has raised concerns among European leaders, especially as the United States pauses military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine. The battlefield shift comes amid uncertainty over Washington’s policy direction following a tense meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on February 28.

Elsewhere, Moscow claimed further territorial gains in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, capturing the village of Kostyantynopil, while Russia-installed officials accused Ukrainian forces of striking a market in Russian-held Kherson, killing two people.

Both sides continue to impose battlefield reporting restrictions, and Reuters has been unable to independently verify the latest claims.

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