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Russia Today
26-04-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Kursk Region fully liberated from Ukrainians
The Russian military has completely liberated the border Kursk Region from Ukrainian forces, President Vladimir Putin has said after being briefed on the battlefield situation by General Staff Chief Valery Gerasimov. In a video address shared by the Kremlin on Saturday, Putin thanked Russian service members 'who took part in defeating the neo-Nazi groups' that invaded the region last summer. 'The Kiev regime's adventure has completely failed, and the huge losses suffered by the enemy, including among the most combat-ready, trained and equipped, including by Western models of equipment… will certainly be reflected along the entire line of combat contact,' he said. According to Putin, the Russian success sets the stage for further advances in other areas of the front, bringing final victory in the conflict closer. The Russian president praised several units that took active part in first stalling the Ukrainian incursion and then pushing the enemy forces back. He particularly lauded volunteers from the 11th Airborne Assault Brigade, 30th Rifle Regiment and the Akhmat Special Forces unit who infiltrated deep into Kiev-controlled territory via an underground pipeline near the town of Sudzha. The daring operation led to a complete crumbling of Ukrainian defenses. According to Gerasimov, total Ukrainian losses during the Kursk incursion amounted to more than 76,000 servicemen killed and wounded, as well as more than 7,700 units of military equipment lost, including 412 tanks, and 340 infantry fighting vehicles, and 314 armored personnel chief of the General Staff went on to confirm that Russia's military effort in Kursk Region was supported by North Korean troops, whose assistance was provided under the Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership signed last year. Ukraine launched its incursion into Kursk Region last August, initially gaining some ground and capturing numerous settlements before their advance was checked by Russian forces. Putin has characterized the incursion as an attempt by Kiev to divert attention from Moscow's offensive in Donbass, adding that this ploy has failed. Ukrainian officials described the operation as a way to gain leverage in potential peace talks with Russia.
Russia Today
13-03-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Putin praises troops behind secret ‘pipeline operation'
Moscow's swift offensive in the Kursk Region, including the now-famous Potok ('Flow') operation, has helped cut Ukrainian supply lines, leaving Kiev's forces nearly encircled and in disarray, Russian President Vladimir Putin was told during a visit to a command post in the area on Wednesday. Russia has recently intensified its counteroffensive in the Kursk Region, which was invaded by Ukrainian forces in August 2024. Reporting to the commander-in-chief on the operation's progress, Chief of the General Staff Gen. Valery Gerasimov highlighted the 'heroic actions' of the combined assault unit of the Veterans volunteer detachment. 'The assault team of this combined formation, numbering more than 600 people, used a gas transmission pipe to cover a distance of about 15 kilometers and infiltrate the combat formations of the armed forces of Ukraine,' Gerasimov reported. The clandestine raid, dubbed by the media as Operation Potok ('Flow'), marked a shift from the prolonged positional phase in Kursk. A specially trained unit infiltrated Ukrainian positions by moving through an abandoned gas pipeline that once transported Russian gas to Europe until Kiev shut it down on January 1, 2025. 'These actions came as a surprise to the enemy and contributed to the collapse of its defenses and the development of our offensive in the Kursk Region,' Gerasimov added. Putin praised the Veterans, which included personnel from the 11th Airborne Assault Brigade, the 30th Motorized Rifle Regiment, and the Akhmat special forces detachment, for their 'audacity and efficiency.' He also commended more than a dozen other units and detachments participating in the liberation of the Kursk Region. The pipeline mission was carefully planned for months and executed in early March. The journey through the pipeline was arduous, as soldiers spent several days navigating the confined, poorly ventilated space. Oxygen supply was a major concern, with residual gas in the pipeline making breathing difficult. Engineering teams installed makeshift ventilation systems and drilled air holes to provide relief. Fighters moved in small groups, spaced out to maintain a steady flow of oxygen, while supplies such as water and essential equipment were transported on carts. After days of waiting near exit points, Russian forces launched their assault on March 8. Exiting through pre-prepared openings, they quickly took control of key positions. Ukrainian forces, caught off guard, attempted resistance but were either eliminated or forced to flee, abandoning equipment and supplies. Russian reinforcements, including armored vehicles, soon arrived to consolidate gains. This was not the first time Russian forces employed pipeline infiltration tactics. A similar method was used in January 2024, when Russian scouts infiltrated Ukrainian positions in Avdeevka, Donetsk People's Republic, via an abandoned pipeline.
