Ukraine confirms withdrawal from Sudzha in Russia's Kursk Oblast

Ukraine's General Staff on March 16 confirmed Ukrainian troops' withdrawal from the logistics hub of Sudzha in Russia's Kursk Oblast, days after Moscow claimed its capture.

Without confirming the withdrawal with a statement, the General Staff posted the latest battlefield maps on social media, which showed a complete retreat from Sudzha.

The confirmation comes as Russian troops scale up their offensive in the Russian border region, where Ukraine launched a surprise cross-border incursion in August 2024 in hopes of using the captured territories as a bargaining chip for potential peace negotiations.

Kyiv has held on to its gradually shrinking foothold in Kursk Oblast despite a deteriorating logistics situation caused by Russia's intense use of artillery, drones, and glide bombs.

As unconfirmed reports of a Ukrainian encirclement circulated online, U.S. President Donald Trump urged his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on March 14 to "spare" allegedly surrounded Ukrainian troops.

Ukraine has denied the claims of encirclement.

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed on March 13 that its troops had captured Sudzha.

The claim came a day after Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi confirmed ongoing battles in the suburbs of Sudzha and the surrounding areas.

"In the most difficult situation, my priority has been and remains to save the lives of Ukrainian soldiers. To do this, the units of (Ukraine's) Defense Forces, if necessary, are maneuvering to more favorable positions," Syrskyi said.