Reclaiming Kursk Moscow reports full control of western Russian region despite ongoing fighting with Ukrainian forces in border areas
Like our earlier reports on the combat situation in Ukraine, this article takes stock of the recent developments on the battlefield based on open-source information. Meduza has condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine from the very start, and our detailed military analyses are part of our commitment to objective reporting on a war we firmly oppose.
Our map is based exclusively on open-source photos and videos, most of them posted by eyewitnesses on social media. We collect available evidence and determine its geolocation markers, adding only the photos and videos that clear this process. Meduza doesn’t try to track the conflict in real time; the data reflected on the map are typically at least 48 hours old.
Key updates as of April 29, 2025
On April 26, Russian Army General Staff Chief Valery Gerasimov announced the “complete liberation” of Russia’s Kursk region. In reality, however, Ukrainian forces still hold parts of its border area — though they no longer fully control any settlements in either the Kursk or Belgorod regions. Moreover, Russian forces have seized a sizeable area across the border in Ukraine’s Sumy region. At the same time, Russian troops continue to press forward on several other fronts in Ukraine. The situation is particularly difficult for Ukrainian forces around Toretsk, where Russian units are attempting to advance north toward the city of Kostiantynivka.
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Russia
Kursk region
After several weeks of fighting, Russian forces have taken control of the Gornalsky St. Nicholas Belogorsky Monastery on the banks of the Psel River and advanced toward the village of Gornal, located right on the border. Russia’s Defense Ministry reported recapturing the village and released video footage showing troops raising a flag in its northern part. However, it’s unclear who controls the surrounding area. Ukrainian troops likely still hold positions northeast of Gornal, on the opposite bank of the Psel — still within the Kursk region.
To the west of Gornal, Russian troops have entered the border settlement of Oleshnya, though Ukrainian forces are reportedly still present in the surrounding forests. Farther west, Russian forces haven’t established control over the border strip along the Seym River across from Tetkino. Ukrainian forces also lack firm control of the area, which remains cut off from the rest of the Kursk region.
Southeast of Gornal, fighting is ongoing near the villages of Popovka and Demidovka in Russia’s Belgorod region. Russia’s Defense Ministry claims these villages — taken by Ukrainian forces in March — have now been fully recaptured, though this has yet to be independently confirmed.
Russian forces have spent several months trying to advance toward the village of Yunakivka in Ukraine’s Sumy region — a key logistics hub for the Ukrainian military between the cities of Sumy and Sudzha. The offensive is coming from three directions: from the occupied Ukrainian village of Basivka (where heavy fighting continues over the nearby village of Loknya), from the border along the Sudzha–Sumy road, and from the northwest, near the Russian-occupied village of Zhuravka.
For now, Russian forces appear to lack the strength for a rapid breakthrough to Yunakivka — an advance that would cut off Ukraine’s ability to continue operations along the border. Most of the Russian group that stormed Sudzha in March appears to have been pulled back. The same seems true for many Ukrainian units that had been operating in the Kursk region. Both sides are likely to redeploy these forces to other parts of the front once they’ve been replenished.
Ukraine
Toretsk and Kostiantynivka
Russia’s 8th Combined Arms Army has once again taken control of nearly all of the city of Toretsk. In the broader Toretsk metropolitan area, only the western section around the settlement of Shcherbynivka remains under Ukrainian control. Russian forces are now attempting to encircle Shcherbynivka from two directions — striking from the southwest via the occupied village of Sukha Balka, and from the east, directly from Toretsk. If Ukrainian troops are forced to withdraw, Russian forces would reach the western edge of the Kleban-Bykske Reservoir — just beyond which lies the city of Kostiantynivka.
Russian troops are also advancing from Toretsk and its eastern outskirts toward the reservoir’s eastern edge. Despite suffering losses in the fighting, they’ve managed to hold positions near Pleshchiivka and on the outskirts of Dyliivka.
At the same time, Russian forces continue their slow advance on Kostiantynivka from the east, along the Pokrovsk–Kostiantynivka highway. Another division of the 8th Combined Arms Army is active in this sector. It has taken parts of Tarasivka and, after repelling Ukrainian counterattacks, parts of Berezivka to the south of the road.
These operations could weaken Ukrainian defenses in Chasiv Yar, where another Russian offensive has stalled in recent weeks. A renewed push seems likely — one that could put Kostiantynivka at risk of encirclement from the east.
Pokrovsk and Kurakhove
Despite Ukrainian counterattacks in March and April, Russian forces have managed to hold their defensive line south of Pokrovsk. Meanwhile, Russian troops are continuing their westward advance toward the settlement of Novopavlivka, a key communications hub for Ukrainian forces.
Farther south, Russian troops are once again trying to encircle a Ukrainian group that had previously defended Kurakhove. This group has already been forced to retreat twice with losses after Russian forces reached its rear. Now, a new threat is emerging: Russian forces are attempting to sever Ukrainian supply routes near the village of Bahatyr by attacking along both banks of the Vovcha River. Fighting has already reached the outskirts of the village.
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