Ukraine's surprise incursion into Russia's Kursk region on August 6 saw Kyiv make swift gains which were hoped to be an effective bargaining chip in ending the war. While Russia's response was slow, it has now recaptured much of the territory with the help of North Korean soldiers.

The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces denied Russian President Vladimir Putin's claim over the weekend that Russian forces had fully retaken the Kursk region, where Ukraine launched an offensive last year.