Russia said its forces have taken back more than 800 square kilometers of territory from Ukraine in the Kursk region of western Russia, which had been taken by Ukraine since an incursion began last year.

The head of the General Staff’s main operational directorate, Colonel General Sergei Rudskoi, said that Russia was advancing in all directions and that Ukraine had been pushed into a defensive stance since February 2024 amid a major Russian offensive that reclaimed considerable territory.

According to Rudskoi, Russia now controlled 75% of Ukraine’s Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions and more than 99% of the Luhansk region.

He added that the four regions are now legally part of Russia and will never be returned to Ukraine.

“Last year was a turning point in achieving our goals. The Kyiv regime will no longer be able to significantly change the situation on the battlefield.

“The enemy has largely lost the ability to produce the necessary weapons, equipment, and ammunition. Mobilization is usually forced,” Rudskoi said.

Rudskoi stated that the future of the conflict no longer depended on Ukraine but on whether or not the West would agree to craft a new European security architecture that took into account Russia’s interests.

[DailyPost]