Russia claims Putin visited Kursk Oblast
Russian state propaganda media reported that dictator Vladimir Putin visited Kursk Oblast on March 12, which would make its his first trip there since Ukraine’s incursion and partial occupation began in early August 2024.
Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation (ran by Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council), suggested that Putin might be trying “raise the stakes” in negotiations with the United States.
“Putin decided to issue threats, put on a military uniform and talk about a ‘buffer zone’ because Kursk Oblast represents a personal humiliation for him,” Kovalenko wrote on Telegram.
“Now he will attempt to raise the stakes before talks with the United States.”
Russian propagandists said the dictator visited one of the military command posts in the region. He arrived in military camouflage and was met by Chief of Russia’s General Staff, Valery Gerasimov.
During the publicized event, Putin called for the region to be “completely liberated” and suggested creating a “buffer zone” along the state border with Ukraine, according to state propaganda agency TASS. He also tasked his troops with, in the “shortest possible time,” completely defeating the Ukrainian forces in the area.
Earlier, Ukrainian armed forces commander Oleksandr Syrskyi said active fighting continues in Kursk Oblast, including in the suburbs of Kyiv-occupied Sudzha and surrounding districts.
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