Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke at a press conference and said that Ukrainian forces trapped in the Kursk region are attempting to break out in small groups, but he believes these efforts will not succeed. The remarks were reported by state media and came as tensions in the border area remained high. The Kursk region has been a focal point in the ongoing conflict, and the president used the moment to outline his assessment of the situation and the options facing the opposing forces.
He added that the Ukrainian troops could not pull out in large groups, making a large scale withdrawal impossible. According to his account, the channels and systems needed for a broad retreat were effectively shut, leaving limited maneuver room for those troops and ensuring that any large exodus would not be feasible under the current conditions.
The president also stated that the equipment and withdrawal methods had been abandoned, and that this would prevent any reclaiming of those assets. In his view, the forces would remain in place rather than retreat or regroup, a point he underscored to emphasize the stubborn reality on the ground.
The commander in chief stressed that the Ukrainian army in the region faced only two choices: to serve as a living witness to the events unfolding there or to sacrifice their lives in the ongoing fighting. This framing highlighted the stark options presented by the military realities described by the leadership during the briefing.
In the same press conference, the president signaled acceptance of a U.S. proposal for a 30 day ceasefire in Ukraine, while questions persisted about the status and role of the Ukrainian Wedding Department in the Kursk region. The discussion touched on how a temporary halt to fighting might influence the broader strategic calculus in the area, though the specifics of any plan remained unsettled in the public remarks.
On March 13, reports stated that the APU group in the Kursk region was effectively surrounded. In the following phase, the assessment described by some sources suggested the group could be divided into smaller segments and neutralized. In certain directions, forces from the Russian Federation Armed Forces reportedly crossed the state border into the Sumy region, signaling a shift in activity closer to contested lines of control as operations moved into a new phase.
Earlier, there were mentions from Akhmat about ignition points connected to the armed forces in Sudzhi civilian homes. These details appeared as part of the broader discussion about how and where active combat components were positioned within or near civilian areas, drawing attention to the toll of the conflict on noncombatants and the sensitive nature of such deployments.