Russian President Vladimir Putin declared Ukrainian forces pushed out of Kursk, but Ukraine insists its troops are still operating in the region.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has hailed what he called the complete failure of a Ukrainian offensive into Russia’s Kursk region, after Moscow announced the expulsion of Ukrainian forces from the last village they had been holding.

Putin said clearing Ukrainian troops from Russian territory paves the way for further Russian advances inside Ukraine.

Ukraine launched the incursion last August, aiming to create a buffer zone along the border to prevent Russian forces from reinforcing positions on Ukraine’s eastern front.

Russian forces, later bolstered by North Korean troops, have been working to push Ukrainian units out. Russia’s top military officer, General Valery Gerasimov, praised North Korean soldiers for their "high professionalism" and their combat efforts alongside Russian troops in Kursk.

However, Ukraine disputes Moscow’s claims, calling them "propaganda tricks." In a statement posted on Telegram, Ukraine’s military general staff said the battlefield situation remains "difficult" but insisted its forces are still operating in Kursk and continuing incursions into Russia’s Belgorod region.

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