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Euromaidanpress
Euromaidan Press
16 Mar 2025
Yuri Zoria


Ukraine withdraws from Sudzha but maintains presence in Russia’s Kursk Oblast

Zelenskyy stated the Kursk operation successfully diverted significant Russian forces away from other fronts, relieving pressure on defenders.
The Russian troops destroyed their own town of Sudzha while retaking it from Ukrainian forces. Screenshots from Russian videos.
Ukraine withdraws from Sudzha but maintains presence in Russia’s Kursk Oblast

Ukrainian defense forces have left the key city of Sudzha in Russia’s Kursk oblast to take up more advantageous positions along the Ukrainian state border, as indicated by an official map published by the General Staff on 15 March.

After more than 200 days of Ukraine’s incursion into Russia’s Kursk Oblast, the battle is reaching a decisive phase, with reports suggesting Ukrainian forces may be withdrawing from key positions, and now the official indirect confirmation that the Russians took control of the key stronghold of Sudzha. Meanwhile, both Russian and US presidents, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, falsely claimed that Ukrainian forces were encircled in the area—a claim widely denied by Russian and Ukrainian sources.

According to Militarnyi‘s report on 15 March,

“Defense forces of Ukraine withdrew from the city of Sudzha in Kursk oblast to occupy more advantageous positions near Ukraine’s eastern border.”

While the General Staff didn’t directly mention the loss of Sudzha in its 15 March statement, Ukrainian OSINT project Deep State reported that Russian forces had occupied the city.

Situation in Russia’s Kursk Oblast as of 15 March 2025. Ukraine-controlled areas are in blue. Map: Deep State Map

The official battle map of operations in Kursk oblast showed that Ukrainian defense forces had left Sudzha:

Map from the March 16 morning bulletin by the Ukrainian Army’s General Staff, showing Sudzha under Russian control.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted in his address on 15 March that the Kursk operation continues successfully. He emphasized that the operation has forced Russia to divert significant forces to this area, which has reduced pressure on Ukrainian units in other directions.

Defenders successfully hold off constant assaults by Russian and North Korean troops,” Zelenskyy stated.

Russian advances and Ukrainian positions

The US think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported late on 15 March that Russian forces continued offensive operations in Kursk oblast but have not completely pushed Ukrainian forces out of the area. The Institute stated that the Russians captured Sudzha on 12 March.

Ukrainian military expert Serhii Flash noted that the Ukrainian forces withdrew to high ground positions south of Sudzha:

Terrain map showing the high ground south of Sudzha. Source: Telegram/Serhii Flash

The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed on 15 March that Russian forces had seized Zaoleshenka and Rubanshchina, both west of Sudzha, but ISW stated it had not observed evidence to confirm Russian forces had taken these settlements entirely.

Trump and Putin’s false claim about encircling Ukrainians in Kursk Oblast denied by both Russian and Ukrainian sources

Geolocated footage published on 12 March indicates that Russian forces recently advanced in western Basivka, northeast of Sumy City in Sumy Oblast, according to ISW.

In its 16 March morning bulletin, the Ukrainian Army’s General Staff reported 19 combat engagements in the Kursk region during the previous day. Russian forces reportedly launched 34 air strikes, dropping 63 guided bombs, and carried out 243 artillery strikes, including five using multiple launch rocket systems.

ISW reports that elements of the Russian 11th Airborne Brigade are operating near Gogolevka, while elements of the 810th Naval Infantry Brigade (Black Sea Fleet) and 177th Naval Infantry Regiment (Caspian Flotilla) are reportedly operating near Guyevo.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Air Assault troops reported on 15 March that paratroopers captured eight mobilized and contract Russian soldiers in Kursk Oblast.

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