Ukraine Air Assault ForcesRussian forces advanced further in their efforts to retake the Kursk region on Monday, threatening to encircle thousands of Ukrainian soldiers just as Kyiv prepared for talks with top U.

Russian special forces walked inside a gas pipeline to strike Ukrainian units from the rear in the Kursk region, Ukraine’s military and Russian war bloggers reported, as Moscow claimed fresh gains in its push to recapture parts of the border province that Kyiv seized in a shock offensive.

Ukraine’s presence in Russia’s Kursk region has deteriorated sharply, with the advance threatening Kyiv’s sole territorial bargaining counter at a crucial time in the war.

A surprise Russian assault through a gas pipeline, along with a major offensive, is quickly making Ukraine's hold on Kursk untenable

Pro-Russian war blogger Two Majors said a major battle was under way for Sudzha and that Russian forces had surprised Ukrainian soldiers by entering the area via a gas pipeline.

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia was storming the town of Sudzha on Sunday after special forces used a gas pipeline to surprise Ukrainian units as part of a major offensive to eject Ukrainian soldiers from the western Russian region of Kursk, pro-Russian war bloggers said.

The front line inside Ukraine has become more static, Ukrainian soldiers say, even as Russia regains ground in its own Kursk region.

Efforts to eject Ukrainian forces from Russian territory accelerated after President Trump halted support for Kyiv.