Kremlin website (machine translation), 4/26/25

The Supreme Commander-in-Chief heard via video link the report of the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation Valery Gerasimov on the completion of the defeat of the Ukrainian formations that invaded the Kursk region.

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Valery Vasilyevich, I know that you have information on the latest developments in the Kursk direction. What are the results of combat work over the past day and for the entire previous period?

Vladimir Gerasimov: Comrade Supreme Commander-in-Chief,

Today, the last settlement in the Kursk region – the village of Gornal – has been liberated from Ukrainian units.

At the same time, units of the 22nd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 72nd Division, the 810th and 40th Separate Marine Brigades, the 177th Separate Marine Regiment and the 1427th Motorized Rifle Regiment distinguished themselves.

Thus, the defeat of the armed formations of the armed forces of Ukraine, which invaded the Kursk region, has been completed. The plans of the Kyiv regime to create a so-called strategic bridgehead and disrupt our offensive in the Donbass have failed.

На начальном этапе операции продвижение противника вглубь нашей территории было остановлено с последующим сокращением площади вклинения, украинские подразделения вынужденно перешли к обороне. В дальнейшем нанесением встречных ударов с флангов вдоль государственной границы двумя десантными дивизиями, 76-й и 106-й, а также действиями 155-й и 810-й бригад морской пехоты основная группировка вооружённых сил Украины была изолирована, а в последующем рассечена и уничтожалась по частям.

The most active phase of the operation began on March 6 of this year. As a result of the offensive actions of the units and military units of the Kursk group simultaneously in all directions, as well as the breakthrough into the enemy’s rear by the underground landing force consisting of the Veterans volunteer formation, personnel of the 11th airborne assault brigade, the 30th motorized rifle regiment and the Akhmat special forces unit through the gas transportation system pipeline, the defense of the Ukrainian armed forces collapsed. A chaotic retreat of the Ukrainian units began. And within five days, the area of ​​the wedged-in area decreased by 2.5 times.

During the subsequent actions, the few remaining Ukrainian elite units were defeated and driven out of the Kursk region.

During the operation, the enemy suffered significant losses, in order to maintain the number of his group at the level of about 60 thousand people, he was forced to constantly transfer reserves and units from other sectors to the Kursk direction. The total losses of the formations of the armed forces of Ukraine amounted to more than 76 thousand people, servicemen, killed and wounded. In fact, one composition of the original enemy grouping and even more was knocked out. Over 7,700 units of military equipment were destroyed, including 412 tanks, 340 infantry fighting vehicles, 314 armored personnel carriers, and about 2,300 other armored combat vehicles.

I would like to note separately the participation in the liberation of the border areas of the Kursk Region of the military personnel of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, who, in accordance with the Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between our countries, provided significant assistance in defeating the wedged group of the Ukrainian armed forces. Soldiers and officers of the Korean People’s Army, performing combat missions shoulder to shoulder with Russian servicemen, during the repulsion of the Ukrainian invasion, showed high professionalism, showed resilience, courage and heroism in battle.

Comrade Supreme Commander-in-Chief!

Currently, in the liberated areas of the Kursk region, measures are being taken to identify single servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine trying to take refuge on Russian territory. Forest areas, basements and abandoned buildings are checked. Local authorities are being assisted in restoring peaceful life. Engineering units of the Sever group and the International Mine Action Center of the Military Engineering Academy are conducting complete demining of the territory and the destruction of explosive objects. 19 settlements were fully checked and cleared. 110 demining groups are involved in these works, this is more than 1000 personnel.

In accordance with your instructions, the creation of a security zone in the border areas of the Sumy region of Ukraine continues. Four settlements were liberated. The total area of the controlled area is more than 90 square kilometers.

In addition, in the Belgorod region, units of the North group of troops completed the destruction of Ukrainian sabotage groups in the area of the village of Popovka. The search and elimination of individual servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine hiding in the border forest belts is being carried out.

In other directions, the Joint Group of Troops (Forces) continues to perform tasks in accordance with the plan of the special military operation.

I have finished my report.

В.Путин: Валерий Васильевич, на протяжении нескольких месяцев Вы регулярно докладывали мне о ситуации в Курской области и отмечали наиболее эффективно действовавшие наши подразделения. Не могу не назвать их сегодня еще раз.

These are the 76th Airborne Division, the 234th Airborne Assault Regiment of this division, the 237th Airborne Assault Regiment and the 104th Airborne Assault Regiment of this division; the 106th Airborne Division and its 119th Parachute Regiment, the 137th Parachute Regiment, and the 51st Parachute Regiment. These are the 56th Airborne Assault Regiment of the 7th Airborne Assault Division; two Akhmat regiments – the 204th Special Purpose Regiment Akhmat and the 1434th Motorized Rifle Regiment Akhmat; The 22nd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 72nd Division, the 11th Airborne Assault Brigade, the 83rd Separate Airborne Assault Brigade. Finally, our Marines, glorious Marines – the 155th Marine Brigade of the Pacific Fleet, the 810th Marine Brigade of the Black Sea Fleet. And of course, you just mentioned it, the volunteer formation “Veterans”, who carried out a daring underground landing in the Sudzha area and created the conditions for its complete liberation.

I congratulate all personnel of all military units that took part in the defeat of neo-Nazi groups that invaded Russian territory in the Kursk region.

The Kyiv regime’s adventure has completely failed, and the enormous losses suffered by the enemy, including among the most combat-ready, trained and equipped forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, including those with Western equipment – and these are assault units and special forces – will undoubtedly be reflected along the entire line of combat contact.

The complete defeat of the enemy in the Kursk border region creates conditions for further successful actions of our troops in other important areas of the front, and brings the defeat of the neo-Nazi regime closer.

I congratulate all personnel, all fighters and commanders on this success, on the victory. I thank you for the courage, heroism, for serving our Fatherland and the people of Russia.

Thank you.

V. Gerasimov: I serve Russia!