Ukraine 'captures nearly 600 Russian soldiers' during Kursk operation

Ukraine has captured 594 Russian soldiers during its three-week military operation in the Kursk region and has seized 100 settlements inside Russia, Kyiv's commander-in-chief said yesterday.

- Shaun Walker , Luke Harding

Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi said Moscow had redeployed "30,000 troops" to the border region and they were trying to counterattack and encircle Ukrainian forces-but these attempts were being repelled, he said.

Speaking in Kyiv, Syrskyi acknowledged that one of the objectives of the Kursk incursion was to divert Russian combat units away from the east of Ukraine.

In recent months Russian forces have been advancing. Yesterday they were seven miles from Pokrovsk, a key Ukrainian army and transport hub, and are pressing on the town of Kurakhove.

Some troops had been shifted from the occupied south of the country.

Syrskyi said: "The enemy is trying to withdraw units from other directions. But it is increasing its efforts in the Pokrovsk sectors."

Sryksi added that Russia was trying to disrupt supply lines. "The situation on the Pokrovsk front is fairly difficult... the enemy is using its advantage in personnel, weapons and military equipment. It is actively using artillery and aviation," he said.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Volodymyr Zelenskiy said "decisions" were being made to strengthen Ukraine's forward positions in the Donetsk region. He described the Kursk incursion as "defensive". It was done to prevent Russia from seizing more Ukrainian land but there were no plans to annex Russian territory, he said.

The president's comments came as Russia launched further strikes on Ukraine with missiles and drones.