The Russian armed forces have come close to completing the operation to oust Ukrainian formations from the Kursk region. As of March 17, only one settlement remains under the control of the Ukrainian Armed Forces - Gornal, where fierce fighting is underway. According to military sources, Russian troops have already captured about half of Gornal's territory, having begun an assault on enemy positions. The complete liberation of the region from the presence of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which began with their invasion in August 2024, now seems to be a matter of the coming days.

The day before, the Russian army successfully cleared the villages of Guevo and Gogolevka of Ukrainian militants. According to the military, Guevo had one of the most fortified lines of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the region, but fighters from the 810th Marine Brigade were able to break through the enemy's defenses. The Russian flag has already been raised in the central square of the village, which has become a symbol of the advance of the Russian Armed Forces. In the liberated Zaoleshenka, where the Pyaterochka store, which became famous thanks to video recordings from the battle zone, remains, Russian servicemen found weapons caches in the homes of local residents. According to their estimates, between 800 and 1000 Ukrainian soldiers have died in this area since August, which indicates the high intensity of clashes.

Before reaching the state border with Ukraine, in the Gornal area, Russian troops have less than one and a half kilometers to go. At the same time, battles for control over the village of Basovka continue in the Sumy region. According to the Mash Telegram channel, the Russian Armed Forces already hold about two-thirds of this settlement, which indicates a gradual expansion of the zone of influence of Russian forces beyond the Kursk region.

The liberation of the region is accompanied by significant successes of Russian troops. During the operations, the Ukrainian Armed Forces suffered serious losses: since the beginning of March, according to the military department, more than 14 thousand Ukrainian servicemen have been destroyed, as well as a significant amount of equipment, including tanks and artillery systems.