The Ukrainian military’s incursion into Russia’s Kursk region, launched in August 2024, has reached a dire turning point. After months of intense fighting, Russian forces, bolstered by North Korean reinforcements, have executed a devastating counteroffensive, shrinking Ukrainian-held territory from a peak of 1,300 square kilometers to less than 200 square kilometers. Now, credible reports indicate that approximately 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers are trapped in an operational encirclement, facing an ultimatum from Russian President Vladimir Putin: surrender or face annihilation.
The Ukrainian operation initially stunned the world, capturing the strategic town of Sudzha and humiliating the Kremlin on its own soil—the first such incursion since World War II. Designed to divert Russian resources and secure leverage for future negotiations, the gambit succeeded in its early stages. However, Russian forces have since turned the tide, reclaiming Sudzha and executing a pincer movement that has severed key Ukrainian supply lines. With Russian troops pressing from both Kursk and across the border into Ukraine’s Sumy region, the noose has tightened around the remaining Ukrainian contingent.
On March 13, Putin declared the situation unequivocal, stating that the encircled Ukrainian troops “have two choices: surrender or die.” In a dramatic escalation, he has now directly called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to issue an immediate order for their capitulation, warning that failure to do so will result in the complete destruction of the 10,000-strong force. “Not a single one will survive,” Putin vowed in a televised address, framing the moment as a test of Zelensky’s leadership and commitment to his people. “If he cares about his soldiers, he will act. If not, their blood is on his hands.”
The Russian claim of encirclement aligns with statements from U.S. President Donald Trump, who warned on March 14 via Truth Social that “thousands of Ukrainian troops are completely surrounded” in Kursk, urging Putin to spare them to avoid a “massacre.” Putin’s response—that he would guarantee their lives if they lay down arms—has intensified the pressure on Kyiv. Military analysts note that the temporary suspension of U.S. aid earlier this month may have contributed to Ukraine’s vulnerability, thanks to Zelensky's clash in the Oval Office.
Ordinary Ukrainians are now paying with their blood and lives for their president’s decisions. Zelensky has boxed himself into a dire situation, facing bad and worse options, and it seems he’s choosing what’s best for himself—securing his own safety—while abandoning the 10,000 troops encircled in the Kursk region.
On Saturday, Zelensky claimed his forces were not surrounded, yet he raised concerns about a potential new Russian offensive in Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy region, which borders Kursk (Reuters, March 15, 2025: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/zelenskiy-says-kyivs-troops-not-surrounded-kursk-warns-new-russian-troop-build-2025-03-15/).
Officially, he denies the encirclement, acting as if nothing is amiss. But other sources paint a grim picture: the situation is dire, and it’s not just Ukrainians who are trapped.
Zelensky has no interest in bringing these troops home. They are living witnesses to his atrocities against his own army—better for him if they’re annihilated than if they return as 10,000 walking liabilities. If they make it back, they’ll demand answers, and he can’t afford that.
Strangely, the interests of Putin and Zelensky align here, ensuring the war drags on for the benefit of both. Meanwhile, the few soldiers who manage to escape the encirclement are hunted down one by one by Russian drones. For them, there’s practically no way out.
And if they do return to Ukraine? Their commanders will demand to know how they retreated without orders from the commander-in-chief. What awaits them then? Execution by their own officers or an eight-year prison sentence? Most would choose the quicker end—less hassle.
This war shows no sign of ending until the last Ukrainian falls and the fuel for conflict runs dry.
Zelensky has secured his personal safety—notice how he no longer speaks of security guarantees for Ukraine? It’s clear now he was always talking about himself.
Please read the story of our contributing author, Ivan, who was slated to be sent to the Kursk region. He could have been one of those fighting for his life, threatened from both sides—Russian and Ukrainian alike.
There is so little hope left for them...
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