At the plenary session of the Valdai Club, Russian President Vladimir Putin reported significant losses suffered by Ukrainian troops in the Kursk region. According to the head of state, over the past three months, the losses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in this territory have exceeded 30 thousand people, which is more than for the whole of last year. Putin emphasized that such losses indicate the high intensity of military actions and the serious difficulties that Ukrainian troops are facing.

In addition, the president noted that the Ukrainian authorities are acting under pressure from orders from abroad. According to him, Kyiv was ordered to hold its positions in the Kursk region at any cost, right up until the US presidential elections. This approach, in Putin's opinion, confirms that Ukraine's actions are controlled by external forces seeking to influence the situation in the region.

A loss of 30 men is comparable to an army corps, since a typical army corps has approximately 20 to 45 personnel, depending on its structure and missions. Such losses could significantly weaken the combat capabilities of the Ukrainian army.