Kiev, Ukraine (AP) – Ukraine has almost lost a valuable bargaining chip as momentum is established for a ceasefire with Russia.
Ukrainian troops crossed the border in August to attack Russia and controlled about 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles) of land. This is a much-needed morale boost in Ukraine – but more importantly, the country’s leaders believe that the occupation of Russian territory may help with any peace negotiations with the enemy.
Now, after months of great pressure from Russian troops, supported by North Korean troops, Ukraine has taken up only 30% of the occupied Russian land, and its troops retreated quickly and nearly distantly in the city of Sudesa.
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Ukrainian troops on Thursday were trying to quickly establish defense lines near the border to prevent Russia from turning its attack on Sudzha into a launch pad to promote northeastern Ukraine.
Politically, the retreat in much of Russia’s Kursk region may be a moment for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his military advisers. The invasion of Kursk was to redirect Russian force from within Ukraine – the land obtained since February 2022 should have helped Ukraine obtain at least a portion of the Russian occupation of 20% of the country.
However, many soldiers and commanders have long questioned whether it is worth diluting their power to defend Ukraine – these doubts will only intensify as Kursk’s retreat accelerates.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that he agreed in principle to a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine, but details still need to be determined. Putin made remarks hours after President Donald Trump’s arrival in Moscow.
Sudzha’s failure in several months struggling in Kursk
The battle was taking place around Sudesa when some Ukrainian soldiers tried to return to the neighboring Ukrainian Sumi region from the Kursk region of Russia.
Ukrainian soldiers and commanders fear that Russia’s air superiority will allow them to eliminate logistics routes that are crucial to maintaining soldiers still in Kursk.
According to the Washington War Institute, Russia has regained control of about 70% of the territory that Ukraine occupied in the first weeks of its invasion of Kursk in August.
To escape from the Kursk region, Ukrainian soldiers must walk dozens of kilometers to return to Ukraine while avoiding Russian troops. Some soldiers were angry that the commander did not order them to withdraw a few weeks ago, and that would be safer.
Ukrainian soldiers asked: Is the Kursk invasion worth it?
Some Ukraine’s military leaders believe that a bold entry into Russian territory is crucial to prevent further progress in northeastern Russia. Moreover, by degrading and redirecting Russian forces, it allowed Ukraine to postpone enemies in the East for the first time since its successful counterattack in 2022.
Other military leaders say Kursk’s offensive (which seemed to have failed in the end) has created some of the best units and the most precious weapons in Ukraine.
After Sudzha collapsed, Ukrainian soldiers were pessimistic about their ability to hold the remaining land in the Russian region, controlling the largest settlement of the Kursks they controlled. They recognize the political interests of failure.
“I know that the (Russian) side is delaying (ceasefire negotiations) until they take back Kursk, so that they will only speak,” said a Ukrainian commander who asked not to be named. “But we have already said somewhat frankly that we have no influence to return any of our territory.”
The Associated Press interviewed five soldiers and commanders, all speaking anonymously on the grounds of talking about sensitive military affairs.
Russia’s use of North Korean soldiers changes the battlefield
The soldiers said that their possession of Kursk began to worsen the moment when North Korean soldiers began to enter combat late last year. Ukrainian soldiers said that over time, Pyongyang’s troops have only become more effective.
A few weeks ago, when a Ukrainian drone operator found about 40 North Korean soldiers near a tree line, he said he was surprised by the health of the North Korean troops. He said some people have the ability to quickly carry heavy ammunition for long distances.
“I’ve never seen anything like this before,” he said.
The shortage of manpower, weapons and ammunition also hindered Ukrainian soldiers, who said they averaged more than five to one, while in some areas it was more than ten.
The last few days of fighting for Sudzha
Over the past three months, Russians have gradually worn Ukrainians. Under heavy aerial attacks by the Russians, Ukrainian troops often had to carry their backs – 20 or 30 kilometers (12 to 18 miles) of ammunition, food and medical supplies.
“By the time they arrived at the position, they were completely exhausted.”
It is unclear how the U.S. recent pause in intelligence sharing affects Kursk’s battle. Russian troops occupied Kursk’s estimated 166 square kilometers (64 square miles) between March 7 and March 10, an effective period.
Also last week, hundreds of Russian special forces crawled 15 kilometers through gas pipelines and launched a surprise behind Ukraine’s defensive line.
In another case, Ukrainian drone operators said Ukrainian soldiers in the northwest of Lebedivka had just given up their position, according to Ukrainian drone operators.
“Everyone left randomly,” he said, so he left eventually, too.
Exit too late
Senior Army Chief General Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Wednesday that he ordered soldiers to withdraw from more favorable positions in Kursk, saying that maintaining the lives of soldiers was his priority.
But some soldiers said it should happen sooner.
A Ukrainian soldier said he and his comrades violated the orders of the company commander and decided to retreat.
“We’ve been tired of sitting under the fire all the time,” the soldier said. Since all major roads are monitored by Russian drones, he said the soldiers are exiting the team along the tree line to avoid discovery.
“All the units that stayed there, I don’t know how they (orders) would drive them out because all the supply chains were disrupted,” he said. “The people who came out said we had a lot of bodies and a lot of burning equipment.”
Russian troops are closing the escape route of Ukrainian soldiers from northern and southern Sudzha.
Ukraine still controls a territory in Kursk on the border with Sumy.
The soldiers said the attention had shifted to establishing defensive capabilities along the border to prevent Russia from invading Ukrainian territory. The trenches were quickly dug up, but it is not clear whether they are enough.
“It depends on the strength we have,” said one commander.
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Associated Press reporter Hanna Arhirova contributed.
