Ukraine’s Defense Forces Have Withdrawn From Sudzha in Kursk Region

Ukraine’s Defense Forces have withdrawn from the city of Sudzha in Russia’s Kursk region to take up more strategically advantageous positions along the eastern border of Ukraine, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Official maps of the ongoing operations indicate that Ukrainian forces have repositioned along the state border, while Russian troops continue their offensive efforts. Reports from the General Staff confirm that on March 14, Ukrainian forces engaged in 20 clashes with Russian troops in the Kursk region.

On March 16, updated maps released by the General Staff show that Russian forces have regained control over Sudzha or at least a significant portion of the city. The buffer zone previously controlled by Ukraine’s Defense Forces has continued to shrink as Russian troops advance toward the Ukrainian border.

Over the past 24 hours, the General Staff reported 19 combat engagements in the Kursk region. Russian aviation conducted 34 airstrikes, deploying 63 guided bombs, while artillery units carried out 243 attacks, including five from MLRS systems.

Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine’s Kursk operation had achieved its main objective by forcing Russian troops to shift focus from key fronts, including Kharkiv, Sumy, and Pokrovsk. He noted that the operation helped ease pressure on Ukrainian defenses and stabilize the situation near Pokrovsk.