The Russian Defense Ministry informed on March 13: "During the attack, units of the Northern Military Group liberated the settlements of Melovoy, Podol and Sudzha."
The US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) which specializes in monitoring conflicts said that field footage showed Russian forces having captured Sudzha and advanced south of Zaoleshenka - a settlement located just northwest of Sudzha.
The capture of the city is a symbolic victory for Russia. Although Sudzha is a small urban area with a population of about 5,000 people, it is one of the few urban areas with residents still controlled by Ukraine.
Speaking at a regular meeting on March 13, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov believes that all areas of the Kursk region controlled by Ukraine will soon be reclaimed by Russia.
President Vladimir Putin said this should be done as soon as possible, Peskov said.
President Putin made a surprise visit to Kursk on March 12. The Russian president told soldiers on the front line that Moscow's goal was to "completely liberate" Kursk. This is the first trip of the Russian leader to Kursk since the surprise attack by Ukraine last year.
The visit comes a day after peace talks between US and Ukrainian officials, in which Kiev agreed a 30-day ceasefire across the entire war zone.
On the same day, US President Donald Trump said that the right to decide is currently on Russia's side. US officials are traveling to Russia to discuss a proposed ceasefire.
