This follows earlier reports about Russian attempts to encircle Ukrainian troops in Kursk Oblast - by creating a foothold in Sumy Oblast. Read also: Ukrainian forces advance near Toretsk and Pokrovsk as Russia attacks on six fronts - ISW “We observe that the enemy is attempting to create an active combat zone within Ukraine’s territory and

Butusov wrote on Facebook on March 8 that Russian troops had used a gas pipeline to approach Ukrainian positions in Sudzha in Kursk Oblast. He added that the troops are being "liquidated."

The repositioning could be a prelude to a complete Ukrainian withdrawal from Kursk back to the relative safety of northern Ukraine. Shrugging off at least one raid by a Ukrainian