Kursk incursion: Ukraine sets up military office in Russian town of Sudzha
- The move suggests Kyiv might try to keep its forces in the region long-term – or just signal to Moscow that it may intend to do so
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday that his country’s troops had taken full control of Sudzha, which would be the largest Russian town to fall under Ukraine’s purview since the start of its cross-border incursion more than a week ago.
Although it only had a pre-war population of around 5,000 people, Sudzha is the administrative centre for the border area of Russia’s Kursk region and is larger than any of the other towns or settlements that Ukraine says its forces have taken since the incursion began on August 6.
Zelensky said Ukraine’s military was setting up a command office in Sudzha, which suggests that Ukraine might plan to remain in the Kursk region long-term – or just signal Moscow that it may intend to do so. He did not elaborate on what functions the office might handle, though he said earlier that Ukraine would be distributing humanitarian aid to Sudzha residents in need.
Russia did not immediately respond to Zelensky’s claims, but its defence ministry said earlier on Thursday that Russian forces had blocked Ukrainian attempts to take several other communities.
The surprise Ukrainian incursion has reframed the war and caused chaos in the Kursk region, leading to the evacuation of more than 120,000 civilians, according to Russian authorities, and the capture of at least 100 Russian troops, according to Kyiv.
