The Russian Defense Ministry announced on Sunday that its forces had regained control of three additional settlements in the western Kursk region. This development is part of an ongoing military operation aimed at expelling Ukrainian troops who have held territory in the area since a cross-border incursion seven months ago.

According to the ministry’s statement, Russian forces successfully took control of Malaya Lokhnya, Cherkasskoye Porechnoye, and Kositsa, all of which are located north of the town of Sudzha. The operation follows reports by Russian military bloggers that special forces had infiltrated deep into Ukrainian-held areas using a gas pipeline as a means of covert movement.

“The Russian Federation’s armed forces are continuing to rout groups of the Ukrainian army on the territory of the Kursk region,” the ministry stated on Telegram.

Ukraine’s military has been actively resisting Russian advances. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that its forces repelled 15 Russian attacks in Kursk on Sunday, with six ongoing clashes still unfolding. The military also stated that 12 Russian airstrikes targeted Ukrainian positions in the region.

Despite this resistance, open-source battlefield maps suggest that Ukrainian forces in Kursk are nearly encircled following rapid Russian advances. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev commented on the situation, stating, “The lid of the smoking cauldron is almost closed. The offensive continues.”

Pro-Russian sources, including military blogger Yuri Podolyaka, claimed that Russian special forces used a 1.5-meter-wide gas pipeline to stealthily advance 16 kilometers behind enemy lines before launching an ambush near Sudzha. Ukrainian airborne assault forces confirmed that Russian troops attempted to use the pipeline for infiltration but said they were detected and repelled with rockets, artillery, and drone strikes.

The escalation in Kursk comes amid growing concerns in Europe about the trajectory of the war and shifting U.S. policy under former President Donald Trump. Recent Russian military gains and the suspension of U.S. military aid to Ukraine have heightened fears that Ukraine may struggle to sustain its defense. Reports indicate that tensions escalated between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy during a February 28 meeting, leading to a pause in intelligence-sharing between the two nations.

In a related development, the Russian Defense Ministry confirmed that its forces had also recaptured the village of Lebedevka in Kursk and seized Novenke, a small hamlet in Ukraine’s Sumy region. Although Moscow has not officially commented on the reported gas pipeline operation, Major General Apti Alaudinov of the Chechen Akhmat special forces shared images of soldiers maneuvering inside a pipeline, reinforcing speculation about Russia’s unconventional tactics.

The situation in Kursk presents Ukraine with a critical strategic decision. With the spring thaw turning roads into difficult-to-navigate terrain, Ukrainian forces must decide whether to hold their ground or attempt a tactical withdrawal under heavy Russian fire.

Meanwhile, fighting continues in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, where Russian forces claimed to have taken control of the village of Kostyantynopil after prolonged clashes. Additionally, Russian-installed officials in Ukraine’s Kherson region reported that a Ukrainian missile strike hit a market in the town of Velyki Kopani, killing two people and injuring seven.

As the conflict continues to escalate, both sides remain locked in a brutal struggle, with no immediate prospects for a ceasefire in sight.