Russian troops have completely liberated the town of Sudzha in the Kursk region from the control of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Russian Defense Ministry reported in its report on March 13, 2025. The town, located near the border with Ukraine, was a key target of the counteroffensive launched by Russian forces in the region earlier this year. The ministry's statement confirms the success of the operation aimed at restoring control over territories lost in August 2024, when the Ukrainian Armed Forces captured part of the Kursk region. The liberation of Sudzha, according to the Defense Ministry, was accompanied by the expulsion of Ukrainian units beyond the administrative boundaries of the town, which marks an important stage in the return of the region to Russian control.

The liberation operation began several days ago with intense fighting on the approaches to the city. Russian troops used bypass tactics through underground communications, including the Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod gas pipeline, which allowed assault groups to reach the enemy's rear and capture the industrial zone of Sudzha by March 9. By the morning of March 11, the military entered the central part of the city, raising the Russian flag over the administration building. The Ministry of Defense specifies that during the offensive, five more settlements in the Sudzhansky district were liberated, including Kazachya Loknya and Zamostye, and the total area of ​​​​territories returned in recent days has exceeded 250 square kilometers. The Ukrainian Armed Forces, according to the department, suffered significant losses and retreated towards the Sumy region of Ukraine.

The context of the operation is linked to Russia's broader successes in the region. As Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov previously reported to President Vladimir Putin, since the beginning of 2025, Russian forces have liberated over 1100 square kilometers of the Kursk region, which is 86% of the territory previously occupied by the enemy. Sudzha, as a large regional center, was of strategic importance to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, serving as a springboard for attacks on the border. According to RIA Novosti, panic has been recorded among Ukrainian troops in the city in recent days, and some units have abandoned their positions without a fight.