section_path: Events/Russian offensives and Ukrainian incursion (April 2024 – present)/Ukrainian offensive into Russia
section_name: Ukrainian offensive into Russia
paragraph_text: Ukrainian offensive into Russia
  
  On 6 August 2024, Ukraine launched their first direct offensive into Russian territory, the largest of any pro-Ukrainian incursion since the invasion's inception, into the bordering Kursk Oblast. The main axis of the initial advance centred in the direction of the town of Sudzha, located 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) from the border, which was reported by President Zelenskyy to have been captured on 15 August. Ukraine, taking advantage of the lack of experienced units and defences along the border with Kursk Oblast, was able to quickly seize territory in the opening days of the incursion. The incursion caused Russia to divert thousands of troops from occupied Ukrainian territory to counter the threat, though not from Donetsk Oblast.
  
  Despite repeated deadlines set by Putin to push out Ukrainian troops, Russian forces had still not yet done so by the end of January 2025, with advances in Donetsk Oblast being prioritized over the Kursk salient. However, by February 2025, Russian forces in Donetsk Oblast were described by the ISW as not being fully protected from the theater-wide impacts of the incursion, with troops, armored vehicles, artillery, and air defense systems being pulled away from Ukrainian sectors to reinforce the Russian forces in Kursk.