Syrsky: Kursk Operation Achieved Its Goals, Caught Russians Off Guard

The Ukrainian military’s operation in Russia’s Kursk Oblast has achieved most of its objectives, said Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) Oleksandr Syrsky.

“This operation, which has been going on for nine months, has achieved most of its goals,” Syrsky wrote on Facebook. “Thanks to our active actions in Kursk Oblast, we managed to prevent an offensive campaign by the enemy in the Sumy and Kharkiv regions.”

He added that the buffer zone created by Ukrainian forces in the border areas “remains relevant even now.”

Syrsky said that only unconventional tactics can defeat a numerically superior enemy: “It was a surprise for the enemy. Ukraine showed that it is capable of counterattacking, beating, and driving the enemy, including on its soil.”

He credited the success of the operation to specific military units and their soldiers. During a recent working trip, Syrsky awarded troops who distinguished themselves in the campaign, singling out the 225th Separate Assault Regiment.

“When we talk about successful active defense in northern Ukraine and in the border areas of Russia, it is primarily about the 225th,” he said.

On Monday, May 5, Russian Telegram channels reported renewed Ukrainian activity in the Glushkovsky district of Kursk Oblast.

The pro-Russian “Administration Z” Telegram channel described an intense situation, claiming Ukrainian troops shelled Tyotkino and engaged in a gun battle near the railway station before withdrawing to Ryzhovka.

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Ukrainian forces also reportedly blew up a bridge near the settlement of Zvannoe. The channel suggested this activity is part of a larger plan: “We are waiting for news,” it said.

Nikolai Volobuyev, head of the Belovsky district of Kursk Oblast, reported on Telegram that first-person-view (FPV) drones targeted a highway between Shchegolok and Samoryadovo, warning locals in “gray zone” settlements of ongoing danger.

According to Ukraine’s General Staff, as of 8 a.m. on May 5, Ukrainian troops had repelled 23 Russian attacks in the Kursk sector over the past 24 hours.

Meanwhile, Russia launched 317 artillery strikes – 11 from multiple launch rocket systems – and conducted 10 airstrikes in the region.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on April 27 that Ukrainian forces are still operating in Russia’s Kursk, despite Moscow’s claims it has fully recaptured the territory.

“Our military continues to perform tasks in the Kursk and Belgorod regions. We are maintaining our presence on Russian territory,” Zelensky said.

He said that the situation remained difficult but emphasized that Russia’s push for total control was not yet successful: “The situation on the front lines and the actual activities of the Russian army prove that the current pressure on Russia to end this war is not enough.”

Moscow announced on April 26 it had taken Gornal, the last settlement under Ukrainian control in Kursk. Ukraine dismissed the claim as “propaganda tricks,” and Russian military bloggers reported ongoing clashes in nearby forests.

During Russia’s announcement, Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov praised the “heroism” of North Korean troops who fought in the campaign – the first time Moscow officially acknowledged their participation in the war.

Afterwards, North Korea also officially confirmed it had deployed troops to Russia for combat under a mutual defense pact, with Kim Jong-un calling it a “sacred mission” to defend Pyongyang’s honor.

Ukraine had seized parts of Kursk in August 2024 during a surprise cross-border offensive, including a key gas pumping station. Russia has since pushed back, regaining much of the region, especially after Kyiv temporarily lost US intelligence support in March 2025.

Following the recapture, Gerasimov said Russia plans to push deeper into Ukraine and establish a “buffer zone” in the Sumy region.

Russia currently occupies about 20% of Ukraine’s territory, including Crimea, annexed in 2014.