ISTANBUL

Russia on Thursday claimed that its forces had retaken control of two settlements in the border region of Kursk, where Ukraine launched an incursion six months ago.

A statement by the Russian Defense Ministry claimed its forces captured the villages of Ulanok and Cherkasskaya Konopelka, both of which are located about 8 kilometers (5 miles) from Russia's border with Ukraine.

According to the ministry, Ukrainian forces launched a counteroffensive in the morning but were detected in advance and targeted by Russian fire.

It claimed that as of 2 p.m. local time (1100GMT), all attacks had been repelled and the settlements were under Russian control.

Ukraine has not commented on Russia's claims, and independent verification of the claims remains difficult due to the ongoing war.

Kyiv's incursion into the Kursk region began on the night of Aug. 5-6, when Ukrainian forces entered near the town of Sudzha, approximately 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) from the border.

Ulanok and Cherkasskaya Konopelka are situated about 11 and 6 kilometers (6.8 and 3.7 miles) southeast of Sudzha, respectively.

Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned the incursion as a “large-scale provocation” and an act of “indiscriminate shooting,” characterizing it as a “terrorist attack.”

In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later confirmed that the incursion aimed to create a “buffer zone” to protect against cross-border attacks from Russia.