Russian forces have taken back more than 800 square km (309 square miles) of territory from Ukraine in the Kursk region of western Russia, or about 64% of the total taken by Ukraine since an incursion began last year,

Russia said its forces have taken back more than 800 square kilometers of territory from Ukraine in the Kursk region of western Russia, which had been taken by Ukraine since an incursion began last year.

Russian forces have recaptured over 800 square kilometers (309 square miles) in the Kursk region, reclaiming about 64% of the territory Ukraine had

In August, a strong Ukrainian force eventually numbering around 20,000 troops invaded Kursk Oblast in western Russia, aiming to draw Russian forces away from the front line in eastern Ukraine while also seizing part of the oblast as a bargaining chip for any future ceasefire negotiations.

President Vladimir Putin told Russian media on Feb. 18 that Russian forces had crossed into Ukrainian territory from Kursk Oblast, a claim General Staff spokesperson Dmytro Lykhovyi has dismissed as part of a disinformation campaign.

The Russian army has now liberated almost two-thirds of the territory of the Kursk region, which was occupied by the troops of the Kiev regime.

The Kremlin said on Wednesday Russia will never discuss trading the Ukrainian territory it holds for areas in Russia's western Kursk region held by Kyiv.

Colonel-general Sergei Rudskoi told a newspaper that Moscow had pushed Kyiv into a defensive stance since February last year.

Russian forces are actively targeting logistics routes moving from Ukraine into Russia’s Kursk Oblast, launching fire strikes on everything moving in that direction from Sumy Oblast. Source: Ukrainian military-analytical project DeepState on social media Details: DeepState reports that the most dangerous section is currently Pysarivka-Yunakivka,