Ukrainian forces continue to hold around 90 square kilometers of territory in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, according to Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, General Oleksandr Syrskyy. He claims that the operation has blocked a planned Russian assault on the Pokrovsk direction in Donetsk Oblast by forcing the redeployment of enemy troops.

Liga reports on 22 June that General Syrskyy, speaking to journalists, has confirmed that Ukrainian forces remain in control of approximately 90 km² in the Glushkovo district of Kursk Oblast. He explained that the operation prevented a large-scale Russian advance toward Pokrovsk by anchoring enemy troops in place.

“Our active operations in the Glushkovo district of Kursk Oblast disrupted these plans. As a result, those units were not relocated to other directions. One of the brigades already moving toward the Pokrovsk direction was returned to Kursk,” Syrskyy said.

Syrskyy also highlighted that the Kursk operation had earlier drawn in nearly 63,000 Russian soldiers and about 7,000 North Korean troops, reducing pressure along other fronts and enabling Ukrainian forces to regroup.

The Ukrainian battlefield monitoring project Deep State’s map shows only 5.5 km² in Kursk Oblast as controlled by the Ukrainian forces.

Russia concentrates forces but stalls at Ukrainian border

Currently, roughly 10,000 Russian troops are engaged in combat within Glushkovo, according to Syrskyy. Meanwhile, near the Northeastern border in the Pivnichnoslobozhanskyi direction – north of Kharkiv and Sumy oblasts, Russia has amassed around 50,000 personnel, including two airborne divisions, four main brigades, the 177th Marine Regiment from the Caspian Flotilla, and other units.

Despite the buildup, Russian forces advancing from Kursk into Sumy Oblast have been stopped just several kilometers inside Ukraine, along the line of Kindrativka, Andriivka, Yablunivka, and Yunakivka.

Syrskyy noted progress on the border:

“The situation there is stabilized. During this period, we reclaimed Andriivka, and in Yunakivka we advanced between 200 to 700 meters over the past week.”

Ukrainian forces launch assault on Yunakivka after liberating Andriivka in Sumy Oblast

Ukrainian Defense Forces launched an assault toward Yunakivka in Sumy Oblast after liberating the village of Andriivka earlier in June, top Ukrainian general Oleksandr Syrskyi says, according to Militarnyi. Units reportedly advanced between 200 and 700 meters over a week, dislodging Russian troops from several positions.

Claimed tactical gains along the northern frontline

According to Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukrainian troops initiated offensive operations near Yunakivka, a key logistics hub halway between Sumy city and the Russian border. He made the statement during a press event attended by a Miliatarnyi correspondent on 22 June. The assault reportedly builds on momentum after Andriivka was reclaimed in early June by the 225th Separate Assault Battalion, located about 5 kilometers from the Russian border.

Syrskyi emphasized that the Russian military’s reliance on small assault units lacking heavy equipment created a window for Ukraine’s counteroffensive. Despite the limited nature of the enemy’s firepower, Ukrainian forces have made measurable progress in pushing them back.

Andriivka reclaimed amid rising battlefield momentum

Ukrainian forces declared Andriivka liberated on 14 June. A day earlier, on 13 June, Deputy Head of Sumy District Council Volodymyr Bitsak said Russian attacks in the area had been halted, paving the way for a counterstrike. Soon after, the 225th Separate Assault Battalion published a photo of documents belonging to a killed Russian major, Andrey Yartsev. Born in 1974, Yartsev had commanded a battalion within Russia’s 30th Motor Rifle Regiment operating in the area.

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Continued resistance and complex conditions on the ground

The Ukrainian frontline monitoring project DeepState reports that the situation remains tense. Their analysis highlights particularly challenging conditions on the Novomykolaivka–Varachyne–Yablunivka–Yunakivka axis, where Russian forces are attempting to consolidate control.

DeepState also pointed to Russian activity near the village of Loknia.

“Special attention should be paid to the Loknia area, where the enemy is trying to push east of the village and establish positions in the forest toward Sadky. If their infantry enters this area, it will be extremely difficult to drive them out,” analysts warned.,