Ukrainian military units reportedly launched a fresh offensive near the village of Tyotkino in Russia’s Kursk Oblast on 4 May evening, according to Russian Telegram “military correspondents” channels.
This comes after the Russian Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov reported to President Vladimir Putin on 26 April that Russian forces, with the support of approximately 10,000–12,000 North Korean troops, have completely liberated Kursk Oblast from Ukrainian forces.
Despite Russian claims, Ukrainian officials, including Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and President Zelenskyy, denied reports of Ukrainian troops being surrounded or defeated in Kursk.
Ukrainian officials dismissed Russian statements about encirclement and defeat as propaganda, emphasizing ongoing active defense and offensive actions in both Kursk and neighboring Belgorod Oblast.
The SHOT Telegram channel reported that approximately 250 Ukrainian service members and over 15 units of heavy equipment participated in the assault, including infantry transported on quad bikes. Russian sources claim the operation aimed to cut off the settlement of Tyotkino, with Ukrainian forces approaching in two armored groups.
The offensive reportedly began with concentrated drone and artillery strikes against Tyotkino, followed by the advance of forces from Ukraine’s Sumy Oblast settlements. The Mash channel stated that around 50 Ukrainian troops attempted to cross the border by first destroying a bridge near Znannoye village.
Russian forces responded with aviation support, and reports indicate several Ukrainian vehicles were allegedly destroyed, including ten quad bikes, a tank, two breach vehicles, and a mobile bridge system.
The combat on the Tyotkino front remains at the border line, with reports of Ukrainian forces capturing the town being dismissed as false information. While Ukrainian troops did advance equipment from Sumy Oblast and attempted demining operations at the border, they were allegedly repelled by Russian artillery and drone strikes without gaining ground, according to Mash.
The Ukrainian military command has not issued comments on the reported offensive. However, on the morning of 5 May, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi acknowledged the ongoing significance of the nine-month Kursk operation, stating it “has achieved most of its set goals.”
He published photos from the award ceremony for soldiers of the 225th Separate Assault Battalion, which “performed the designated tasks effectively in Kursk Oblast.”
“We managed to prevent the enemy’s [Russian] offensive campaign in Sumy and Kharkiv regions. The buffer zone created by Ukraine’s Defense Forces in border areas remains relevant now,” Syrskyi highlighted.
The Ukrainian forces launched the Kursk incursion on 6 August 2024, capturing up to 1,000 square km and dozens of settlements in the first week before the advance stalled and Russian forces began to retake ground.
The operation’s goals included pushing Russian artillery away from Ukraine’s border, diverting Russian forces from other fronts and putting pressure on Russian government during potential peace negotiations.
