Kursk campaign

The Kursk campaign began when Ukrainian forces crossed the border into Russia's Kursk Oblast in a surprise offensive, the first land invasion of Russian territory since the Second World War. Ukraine took the town of Sudzha and a stretch of territory, aiming to divert Russian forces from the eastern front and to gain a bargaining chip for negotiations. Russia responded by moving reinforcements to the area, including soldiers from North Korea, and gradually pushed the Ukrainian troops back, with heavy fighting and drone warfare on both sides. In early 2025 Ukrainian forces lost ground quickly, and they withdrew from most of the area by March. The operation's strategic value remains debated.

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