Russian President Vladimir Putin has visited the western border region of Kursk for the first time since Moscow claimed to have fully recaptured the territory from Ukrainian forces following a surprise cross-border incursion last year, according to Russian state news agency TASS.
During his unannounced trip, Putin met with municipal leaders in the city of Kurchatov and inspected the under-construction Kursk nuclear power plant. Kremlin sources cited by TASS said the visit also included conversations with local volunteers, as shown in video footage posted by Russian state media. Putin was seen dressed in a suit, engaging with residents, though TASS did not disclose the exact date of the visit.
This marks a significant political gesture by the Russian leader, coming nearly a year after Ukrainian forces shocked Moscow by launching a swift and unprecedented ground invasion into Russian territory, Kursk included, the first such breach since World War II.
Since then, Russian forces, reportedly reinforced by North Korean troops, have engaged in intense operations to reclaim the region. Last month, Putin publicly declared that Kursk was once again under full Russian control, crediting the involvement of North Korean soldiers in the campaign. However, Ukraine has strongly disputed this claim.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated in his nightly address last week that Kyiv’s forces remain active in Kursk and the neighboring Belgorod region. “We are continuing our active operations in the Kursk and Belgorod regions, we are proactively defending Ukraine’s border areas,” Zelensky said.
With both sides offering conflicting accounts of control on the ground, Kursk remains a flashpoint in the broader conflict, and a potential lever in future peace negotiations. Putin’s visit signals Russia’s intention to reassert authority in the region, while Ukraine maintains its stance that the battle for control is far from over.
Written By Rodney Mbua
