Ukrainian forces withdrawing from Russia’s Kursk region — Conflict Intelligence Team

Ukrainian forces are steadily withdrawing from Russia’s Kursk region, Ruslan Leviev, founder of the independent investigative group Conflict Intelligence Team, said in a broadcast on the independent Russian television channel Dozhd (TV Rain) on Wednesday.

“We’ve seen that all the areas gradually coming under Russian control have been taken with little to no resistance. The same is happening in Sudzha. Yesterday [March 11], videos showed Russian troops on the eastern outskirts of the city. Today, we’re seeing them on the opposite outskirts. And again, there are no recorded battles… At this point, it’s safe to say that the entire city of Sudzha is now under Russian control,” Leviev said.

“This could be over today. Or maybe border villages will hold out for a few more days. But overall, the Kursk foothold is nearing its end, and Ukrainian forces are withdrawing.”

Earlier on March 12, Russia’s state news agency TASS and pro-Kremlin military bloggers published footage showing Russian troops in central Sudzha raising Russian flags. The independent outlet Agenstvo geolocated one of the videos to a square near the Sudzha city administration building.

Sudzha had been under Ukrainian control since mid-August 2024, with Russian troops struggling for months to break through to the city. As Meduza reported on March 11, Russian forces recently reached Sudzha’s outskirts after seizing two key Ukrainian fortified positions — Malaya Loknya and Martynovka.

Russia’s sudden advance in the Kursk region came during a temporary halt in U.S. intelligence sharing with Ukraine from March 5 to 11.