Efforts to eject Ukrainian forces from Russian territory accelerated after President Trump halted support for Kyiv.

Russian special forces walked inside a gas pipeline to strike Ukrainian units from the rear in the Kursk region, Ukraine’s military and Russian war bloggers reported, as Moscow claimed fresh gains in its push to recapture parts of the border province that Kyiv seized in a shock offensive.

Russian special forces spent several days in the pipelines, that were recently used to send gas to Europe, to target Ukrainian posts as the push to recapture Kursk continues, Moscow said

"Difficult battles continue in the border area of Sumy Oblast, Russian assault units are attempting to breakthrough and move toward a highway from Yunakivka to Sudzha in Kursk Oblast," said Andrii Kovalenko,

On March 8-9 alone, the decisive actions of the Battlegroup North resulted in the capturing of seven settlements, including Malaya Loknya, Cherkasskoye Porechnoye, Kositsa, Lebedevka, Viktorovka, Nikolayevka, and Staraya Sorochina.

But as Ukraine prepares to meet with U.S. officials, Ukrainian soldiers say they are bracing for attacks to take advantage of a pause in U.S. intelligence.

Released March 9, 2025Russia's defense ministry released this video on Sunday of what it said were drone strikes on a Ukrainian military column in Russia's Kursk region.Reuters was able to partially confirm the location of the video as Sudzha but could not independently verify the date it was recorded.

Russia claimed on Sunday that it had retaken control of four settlements in the Kursk region, as Moscow continues to try to push out Ukrainian troops which have held large chunks of territory in the region following an incursion last August.

By Guy Faulconbridge MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russian special forces crept miles through a major gas pipeline near the town of Sudzha in an attempt to surprise Ukrainian forces as part of a major offensive to eject Ukrainian soldiers from the western Russian region of Kursk,

Ukraine’s presence in Russia’s Kursk region has deteriorated sharply, with the advance threatening Kyiv’s sole territorial bargaining counter at a crucial time in the war.

Geolocated footage from March 8 shows Russian forces recently captured Cherkasskoye Porechnoye, north of Sudzha. Advance units of Russia’s 30th and 1427th Motorized Rifle Regiments are moving in the area.