Putin "Occupied Ukraine Kursk Will Be Fully Liberated"

Russian President Vladimir Putin has been confident of retaking the Kursk region on the Russian border, which Ukrainian forces are partially in control of, TAS news agency reported.

Putin invited volunteers working at the Bimpel Military Patriot Center in Kursk on April 4 local time and said, "Liberate this territory from the enemy and it will take a lot of your work."

"Soldiers are on their way to victory while volunteers provide medical care and humanitarian aid to the local population," Putin said, adding, "Yes, we will wipe out the enemy in the region."

While Ukrainian forces have been occupying parts of Russia's Kursk for three months since August, Russia has also stepped up its offensive against Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, even as it seeks to retake Kursk.