The end is near: Ukrainian troops leave Kursk region, Russian flag raised over Sudzha

The Russian flag was raised in the central square of Sudzha, Kursk Region, RIA Novosti news agency reports citing the commander of the 11th Separate Guards Air Assault Brigade’s parachute battalion.

Photo: "ARCHANGEL OF SPECIAL FORCES"

The Russian Armed Forces in the center of Sudzha

Ukrainian Withdrawal Part of Negotiation Process

The withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the Kursk Region is reportedly part of the ongoing negotiation process, Telegram channel Sotrudnik OP (Employee of the President’s Office) said. 

“Our troops have left Sudzha and are withdrawing from the rest of the Kursk Region. This troop withdrawal is part of the negotiations.”

Additionally, Ukrainian politician and blogger Anatoly Shariy reported on his Telegram channel that the Ukrainian command had ordered its units to retreat from the Kursk region. He emphasized that some soldiers were leaving on foot, while Ukrainian forces attempted to evacuate as many troops as possible.

The cleanup of Sudzha in the Kursk region continues, soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are hiding in basements, RIA Novosti said with reference to servicemen of the Sever (North) group of forces.

However, military blogger Yuri Podolyaka claimed that Kyiv’s information campaign was attempting to frame the withdrawal as a strategic maneuver, suggesting that Ukraine’s best brigades managed to escape the encirclement in the Kursk region.

“Many Ukrainian army units did manage to leave, but they abandoned their equipment and are no longer combat-effective,” Podolyaka stated. He added that some Ukrainian brigades were obliterated during the withdrawal.

Forbes Confirms Ukrainian Withdrawal

Forbes also reported that Ukrainian forces began withdrawing from the Kursk region, with Ukraine’s most combat-ready brigades retreating across the border. A Ukrainian soldier, whose name was not disclosed, admitted that he and his comrades fled from Kursk.

Journalists noted that in February 2025, Russian forces cut off Ukraine’s supply lines in the region with a massive strike using elite drones, disabling Ukrainian vehicles along the main road to Sudzha. The report suggests that Sudzha may no longer be a key Ukrainian base in the region.

Earlier reports indicated that Russian forces drove Ukrainian troops out of eastern Sudzha and advanced toward the city center. Russian troops also secured the outskirts of Kazachya Loknya and forced Ukrainian units out of Knyazhy 1st and Knyazhy 2nd hamlets.

Details

Sudzha is a town and the administrative center of Sudzhansky District in Kursk Oblast, Russia, located on the Sudzha and Oleshnya rivers 105 kilometers (65 mi) southwest of Kursk, the administrative center of the oblast. It has a population of 5,127 people. It is the natural gas exchange feeder where the Trans-Siberian pipeline meets the Brotherhood pipeline. Since August 15, 2024, the town has been occupied by Ukrainian forces as a result of an incursion into the region.