Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the Kursk region in western Russia for the first time since Ukrainian forces seized part of the region. There, he urged his forces to push the Ukrainians out “as soon as possible”, on Wednesday, the 12th of March, reports Reuters.
Appearing on Russian state television in military uniform, Putin visited the Kursk Region command centre used by Russian troops.
“Putin in Military Uniform” – A Double, DeepFake, or Just a Miniature Version?” 🎭🎤
Russian state channels are heavily pushing a video where “Putin” appears in military uniform for the first time. According to their version, he visited the Russian army headquarters in the Kursk… pic.twitter.com/JXNPTHtvbX
— Devana 🇺🇦 (@DevanaUkraine) March 12, 2025
“Indeed, in the shortest possible time, we must finally defeat the enemy that has entrenched itself in the Kursk region and is still taking defensive measures here,” Putin said, addressing the top brass of the Russian military.
Putin listened to a report by Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the Russian General Staff, who told him that Ukrainian troops were surrounded in the Kursk region.
“Its systematic destruction is taking place”, Gerasimov said.
Putin said Russian forces must completely liberate the region from Ukrainian troops as soon as possible, news agencies reported.
“I count on the fact that all the combat tasks of our units will be fulfilled, and the territory of the Kursk region will soon be completely liberated from the enemy,” he said.
Putin added that the captured Ukrainian POWs would be “treated as terrorists in accordance with the laws of the Russian Federation”.
“People who are in the Kursk region, who are committing crimes against civilians here, who are resisting our armed forces, law enforcement agencies and special services, … are people we should definitely consider terrorists,” Putin said, adding that Russia had no plans to extend the Geneva Conventions to foreigners fighting on the Ukrainian side.