Russian engineering units have commenced demining operations in the reclaimed border areas of the Kursk region, according to a statement released by the Russian Defence Ministry on Saturday.
The ministry stated that the demining efforts aim to restore essential infrastructure and facilitate the resumption of economic activities in the region, which had witnessed intense combat. It further claimed that the engineering teams had discovered munitions that are prohibited under the Geneva Convention.
In recent weeks, Russian forces have reportedly regained control over large portions of territory in the Kursk region, which had been captured by Ukrainian troops following a surprise cross-border attack in August last year.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has dismissed reports suggesting that Ukrainian forces had been encircled in Russia’s western Kursk region.
In a post on Telegram on Saturday, Zelensky stated that Ukrainian military operations in certain areas of the Kursk region were ongoing and denied that Ukrainian troops were surrounded.
He further asserted that Ukrainian forces had successfully diverted a significant number of Russian troops from other frontlines by maintaining their presence in the Kursk region.
However, he also warned that Russian troops were amassing along Ukraine’s eastern border and were preparing to launch an offensive in the northeastern Sumy region.
On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the ongoing conflict, stating that Ukrainian soldiers currently stationed in the Kursk region would be granted safety if they surrendered.
According to a report by a news agency, Putin assured that those who lay down their arms would be guaranteed life and would be treated with dignity, in line with international law and Russian regulations.
In a separate development, former US President Donald Trump claimed on Friday that he had engaged in productive discussions with Putin regarding the ongoing war.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated that thousands of Ukrainian troops were currently surrounded by Russian forces, adding that he had urged Putin to spare their lives.
Putin responded by noting that any potential surrender would require Ukraine’s leadership to issue an official order for its troops to lay down their arms.
Earlier on Friday, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces issued a statement denying claims that Ukrainian soldiers had been encircled in the Kursk region.
The conflict in the Kursk region intensified in August last year when Ukrainian troops launched an offensive, seizing approximately 1,300 square kilometres of land.
However, with Russian forces stepping up their counteroffensive in recent weeks, reports indicate that Ukrainian positions in the area are becoming increasingly vulnerable.
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