Russia has reclaimed more than 100 square kilometers (38.6 square miles) of territory and 12 villagesfrom Ukrainian forces in the southwestern Kursk region over the past 24 hours, the Russian military said Tuesday.The North Group of Forces has liberated 12 settlements during offensive actions and more than 100 square kilometers of the Kursk region, Russias Defense Ministrysaidin a daily briefing.The retaken settlements include Agronom, Bogdanovka, Bondarevka, Dmitryukov, Zazulevka, Ivashkovskiy, Kolmakov, Kubatkin, Martynovka, Mikhaylovka, Pravda and Yuzhny, all located just north or east of the Ukrainian-held city of Sudzha.Russias significant advances this past month, which analysts say put Ukrainian forces at risk of encirclement, appear to have taken advantage of United States President Donald Trumps suspension of military aid and intelligence sharing to Ukraine.Ukraine captured 1,376 square kilometers of land when its forces first stormed into the Kursk region in August, hoping the occupied territory would provide leverage in future peace negotiations with Russia.The area of the Kursk region under Ukrainian control hasshrunk to less than 290 square kilometers (110 square miles) as of Tuesday, according to the battlefield tracker DeepState, which has links to the Ukrainian military.Reports over the weekend claimed that 800 Russian special forces had crawled for 15 kilometers through an unused section of pipeline, which once carried Russian gas to Europe via Ukraine, in order to carry out a sneak attack on Ukrainian forces in Sudzha.Ukraines military said it repelled the Russian assault via the gas pipeline on the outskirts of Sudzha on Saturday.
Ukrainian General Oleksandr Syrskyi said Monday the Russian counteroffensive did not place Ukrainian troops at risk of encirclement, though he indicated the Ukrainian forces have been pulling back to advantageous positions for defense.The state-run news agency RIA Novosti, citing a Russian assault brigade,reported Tuesday that the Russian forces liberated an industrial zone in Sudzha and were engaged in fighting in a residential area.On Monday, the broadcaster RTVI, citing a unit commander,reportedthat the pipeline sneak attack had disoriented the Ukrainian troops and helped Russia to retake several Kursk region villages.It was not possible to verify either the Russian or Ukrainian battlefield reports.