Ukraine has rejected Russia’s assertion that its forces have been completely pushed out of the Kursk region, where Kyiv launched a surprise incursion eight months ago. Russian Defense Chief Valery Gerasimov claimed full control was restored after the alleged liberation of the village of Gornal, while President Vladimir Putin declared Ukraine’s operation a “complete failure.”

Ukrainian military officials dismissed the statements as “propaganda tricks,” insisting their troops still maintain positions in Kursk and continue operations in Russia’s Belgorod region. The General Staff acknowledged a “difficult” battlefield situation, with Ukrainian forces facing 70,000 Russian troops and sustained drone attacks in recent months.

The incursion, initiated last August, aimed to create a buffer zone to divert Russian resources from Ukraine’s eastern front. However, Putin framed the claimed victory as a springboard for further advances, oddly crediting North Korean troops for their “significant assistance” in repelling Ukrainian forces.

The dispute comes amid shifting diplomatic pressures. US President Donald Trump recently stated Russia and Ukraine were “very close to a deal” following envoy Steve Witkoff’s talks with Putin. Yet Kyiv remains resistant to territorial concessions, including Crimea’s status, with President Volodymyr Zelensky insisting any agreement must begin with an “unconditional ceasefire.”

Russia now asserts its troops have reached the border of Ukraine’s Sumy region, adjacent to Kursk, signaling potential escalation. The conflicting narratives underscore both the fluid frontline dynamics and the high-stakes bargaining over land as potential peace talks loom.