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Ukraine’s commander-in-chief: Kyiv forces maneuver in Kursk while repelling eight Russian assaults in one day

Russian airborne and special forces units target Ukrainian positions around Sudzha while attempting to shift combat into Ukrainian territory, having suffered over 54,900 casualties since August in the costliest cross-border battle of the war.

byOlena Mukhina

12/03/2025

2 minute read

Ukrainian soldiers. Credit: The General Staff

Ukraine’s commander-in-chief: Kyiv forces maneuver in Kursk while repelling eight Russian assaults in one day

Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi says intense fighting continues on the outskirts of Sudzha and surrounding areas in Ukraine’s Kursk military grouping’s operational zone.

Reports suggest that Ukrainian troops may be withdrawing from Kursk Oblast, which they had controlled since August 2024, though no official confirmation of a full withdrawal has been made. In Sumy Oblast, Russian forces have focused on disrupting the critical Sumy-Yunakivka-Sudzha road, essential for Ukrainian logistics in the area.

In Kursk Oblast, Russia’s forces are deploying airborne assault units and special operations forces in an attempt to breach Ukrainian defenses, push Ukrainian troops out of the region, and shift combat operations into Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts, Syrskyi informs.

Since the start of the Kursk operation on 6 August 2024, total Russian losses have exceeded 54,900 troops:

Over 22,200 soldiers killed
31,800 soldiers wounded
942 soldiers captured

Additionally, Ukraine has destroyed or damaged nearly 2,100 Russian military assets, including:

90 tanks, 654 armored vehicles
Five MLRS, two air defense systems
One aircraft, two helicopters
1,100+ trucks, 28 specialized vehicles
Nearly 1,500 drones

Russian aviation has carried out an unprecedented number of strikes on its own territory, with Sudzha suffering near-total destruction due to airstrikes.

“My priority has always been and remains the preservation of Ukrainian soldiers’ lives. If necessary, our units maneuver to more favorable positions while relying on drones and artillery for precision strikes. I have issued all necessary orders,” Syrskyi stated.

As of 6:00 PM, Ukrainian forces had repelled eight Russian assault attempts on the Kursk front.

Despite increasing pressure from Russian-North Korean forces, Syrskyi assured that Ukraine’s Defense Forces will hold the line in Kursk Oblast as long as it remains feasible and necessary.

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