Zelensky says Ukraine controls 92 settlements in Russia

Kyiv: The Ukrainian army has taken control of 92 settlements in western Russia's Kursk region, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

Ukrainian troops have seized more than 1,250 square km of Russian territory, Zelensky said on social media platform X on Monday, Xinhua news agency reported.

"The Russian border area opposite our Sumy region has been mostly cleared of Russian military presence," the Ukrainian President said.

He added that the Ukrainian army continues its military operation in the Kursk region's designated areas.

Kyiv's unprecedented operation has been ongoing for two weeks, with the Ukrainian military capturing the town of Sudzha in the Kursk region and allegedly destroying all three bridges over the Seim River near the border.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify Zelensky's claims about the number of seized Russian territory.

Speaking at a meeting in the city of Dnipro, the Ukrainian President said that Ukraine continues to strengthen its positions, stabilise "certain areas" and continues to take Russian soldiers as Prisoners of War.

"This operation has become our largest investment in the process of releasing Ukrainians from Russian captivity. We have already captured the largest number of Russian prisoners in one operation," he added, without elaborating.

Ukraine declined to provide a full number of Russian captives taken during the Kursk incursion following the Kyiv Independent's request.

Zelensky said that "hundreds" of Russian soldiers had been captured as of August 13, while an undisclosed Ukrainian colonel told The Independent news outlet that the number may be as high as 2,000.

The Russian border near Ukraine's Sumy region has been "largely cleared" of the Russian soldiers, which Zelensky called one of the tactical goals of Kyiv's incursion.

Ukraine started a military operation in the Kursk region on August 6.

On August 15, Oleksandr Syrsky, Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, said that his army had captured 82 settlements in the region.