President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday ordered Russian forces to expel Ukraine’s military from the Kursk region “as quickly as possible,” as Kyiv hinted it was pulling some of its troops from the region.
"Indeed, our task in the near future is to finally defeat the enemy, who has dug in on the territory of the Kursk region and is conducting military operations here, in the shortest possible time,” Putin said at a meeting at a command post in the border region.
The remarks come as the Russian president embarked on a surprise visit to the border region for the first time since Ukraine’s incursion, which Kyiv launched in August.
The incursion began on the night of Aug. 5 - 6, when Ukrainian forces entered near the town of Sudzha, approximately 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) from the border.
The Russian president said Moscow, in the future, needs to think about creating a security zone along its border with Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Ukraine's army chief hinted that some of his troops were pulling back in Russia's Kursk region after Moscow claimed rapid advances there over recent days.
"In the most difficult situation, my priority has been and remains saving the lives of Ukrainian soldiers. To this end, the units of the defense forces, if necessary, maneuver to more favorable positions," commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrsky said in a Facebook post, in language typically used to describe a withdrawal.
