Speaking at a press conference, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said "Russia's counterattacks were according to Ukraine's plan".
Mr Zelensky declined to say anything more about the area captured by Ukraine in its surprise offensive on August 6. Mr Zelensky had previously said that Kursk – where Ukraine captured about 1,300 square kilometres, including 100 settlements and nearly 600 prisoners of war – was part of his plan to end the conflict.
However, in the past two days, the Russian Ministry of National Defence said the Russian military had retaken 10 settlements in the area, amid concerns among Ukraine's allies about whether Kursk was worth the gamble and whether it could be used as a bargaining chip in negotiations.
RT reported that in a statement on September 12, the Russian Ministry of National Defense said that in the past 48 hours, the Russian "Northern" group of forces had liberated 10 villages not far from the Ukrainian border, including Apanasovka, Byakhovo, Vishnevka, Viktorovka, Vnezapnoe, Gordeevka, Krasnooktyabrskoye, Obukhovka, Snagost and Desyatoe Oktyabrya.
Gordeevka lies less than 2km from the Ukrainian border, while others lie a little further into Russian territory. The attacks also took place about 30km west of the town of Sudzha, which saw the heaviest fighting at the start of the Kiev offensive.
The Russian Ministry of National Defense did not provide details on the level of resistance encountered during the offensive. However, the statement said that Russian troops repelled several Ukrainian counterattacks, including one near Snagost.
On September 10, British Defense Secretary John Healey, in a report to the House of Commons, welcomed the Kursk operation, adding that "the longer Ukraine holds Kursk, the weaker Russia will be and the better Ukraine will be defended" - the Washington Post reported.
Meanwhile, in the eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk – a key logistics hub where Russian troops are steadily advancing – Ukrainian authorities said vital infrastructure had been destroyed, leaving the city without cooking gas or drinking water.
Donetsk region governor Vadym Filashkin said about 18,000 people remained in Pokrovsk. About 20,000 had fled and the last evacuation train departed last week.
Kiev launched an offensive into Russia's Kursk province in early August, initially achieving some success. However, Moscow claimed that the offensive had been thwarted, with Ukraine estimated to have lost more than 12,500 servicemen and hundreds of armored vehicles.
Moscow officials accuse Kiev of indiscriminately targeting civilians and committing war crimes in the region, and have ruled out any peace talks with Ukraine while its troops remain on Russian soil.
