Ukraine controls 82 settlements in Russia

Ukraine has taken control of 82 settlements in western Russia's Kursk region, Oleksandr Syrsky, commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said on Thursday, reported Xinhua.

Since the beginning of their operation in the Kursk region, Ukrainian troops have advanced 35 km along the Russian army's defense, and controlled over 1,150 sq km of territory, Syrsky said on his official Telegram channel.

Since the beginning of Thursday, Ukrainian troops have advanced between 500 meters and 1.5 km further into the Kursk region, he said.

The Ukrainian troops have captured the town of Sudzha in the Kursk region, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, adding that a military commandant's office is being established there.

Russia's defense ministry announced that in the past 24 hours, their forces successfully repelled six Ukrainian attacks in the Kursk region. Additionally, it claimed to have destroyed 117 drones and four tactical missiles launched by Ukraine at several regions including Kursk.

The ministry also added that Ukraine had lost up to 2,300 soldiers and 37 tanks during its incursion into Kursk.