President Trump and President Vladimir V. Putin both claimed that Ukrainian forces were surrounded. Ukraine’s top military commander vowed to “hold the line.”

Russia's Security Council's Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev attends a meeting of the Council for Science and Education at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in the Moscow region's city of Dubna,

Russia has warned that Ukrainian troops in Kursk must surrender or face destruction. Putin acknowledged Trump’s plea to spare their lives but insists Kyiv must order them to lay down arms. Ukraine denies the encirclement but admits the situation is difficult.

Russia said on Thursday there was no doubt that its troops would soon complete the task of clearing out Ukrainian forces from Russia's Kursk region where they have held a pocket of territory for more than seven months.