The President of Russia Vladimir Putin visited the Kursk region in the west of the country for the first time since Ukrainian troops captured part of the territory in this area. On television screens, he was shown in military uniform, visiting the command center in the Kursk region, which uses Russian military forces.
Putin addressed senior military commanders of Russia, stating: "In the shortest possible time, we will defeat the enemy, who has entrenched here, in the Kursk region, which until now has been occupied by encirclement actions." The president listened to a report from Valery Gerasimov, the head of the General Staff of Russia, who informed him that Ukrainian troops in Kursk are now surrounded.
Gerasimov added that "their systematic destruction in the present time continues." According to this report, Putin stated that Russian forces need to liberate the area completely from Ukrainian forces in the shortest possible time.
