Ukraine Captures 971 Russian Soldiers in Kursk Offensive

Ukrainian forces captured 971 Russian soldiers during a surprise offensive in Russia's Kursk Oblast from August 2024 to May 2025, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The operation, described as an unexpected and asymmetric move against a numerically superior enemy, aimed to fill Ukraine's "exchange fund" to facilitate prisoner swaps and to divert Russian military resources. Despite initial territorial gains, Ukrainian forces withdrew by March 2025 due to Russian counterattacks but continued active operations in the region. The prisoner captures from this campaign were key to a major 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange agreed upon during peace talks in Turkey, in which Ukraine repatriated hundreds of military personnel, including defenders from Mariupol. Ukrainian officials emphasized the strategic value of unconventional tactics in overcoming larger forces, and President Zelensky expressed determination to recover all Ukrainian captives. Meanwhile, independent media investigations confirmed over 109,600 Russian military deaths in Ukraine since the invasion began, highlighting the ongoing intensity of the conflict, especially in Donetsk Oblast.