On April 22, 2025, Russian forces liberated the St. Nicholas Belogorsky Monastery in Gornal, Kursk region, marking a significant step toward regaining full control of the southwestern Kursk oblast from Ukrainian forces, according to Russian state media.
Battle for the Monastery
Russian troops, after more than a week of intense fighting, recaptured the 17th-century St. Nicholas Belogorsky Monastery in Gornal, located less than 30 kilometers from Ukraine’s Sumy city. A security source cited by TASS claimed that Ukrainian forces had used the monastery as a “military facility,” though this allegation remains unverified. The source stated, “The resistance of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has been broken,” signaling the collapse of Kyiv’s foothold in the area.
[](https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/04/22/russian-army-retakes-monastery-in-last-ukrainian-held-village-in-kursk-tass-a88820)For more on the Kursk conflict, see The Telegraph’s coverage.
[](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/04/22/ukraine-final-holdout-kursk-falls-russia-captures-monastery/) |
| St Nicholas Belogorsky Monastery in Kursk. Source Michael Ovseychik/iStock/The Telegraph |
Kursk Region: A Shrinking Ukrainian Presence
Russia’s Chief of the General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, informed President Vladimir Putin on April 19, 2025, that 99.5% of Kursk—approximately 1,260 square kilometers—had been retaken since Ukraine’s August 2024 incursion, which initially seized over 530 square miles. Current estimates suggest Ukraine holds less than 20 square miles, with pro-Ukrainian sources like Deep State reporting 8.1 square miles. The monastery’s liberation leaves Gornal as one of the last Ukrainian-held villages, bringing Russia close to full control.
[](https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/ukraine-finally-squeezed-out-kursk-russian-army-retakes-key-monastery)[](https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/04/22/russian-army-retakes-monastery-in-last-ukrainian-held-village-in-kursk-tass-a88820)[](https://www.yahoo.com/news/ukraine-final-holdout-kursk-falls-120435232.html)Strategic Implications and Ceasefire Talks
The operation’s momentum, bolstered by North Korean troop support, reflects Putin’s intent to fully liberate Kursk before engaging in ceasefire negotiations, potentially to avoid territorial exchanges. Konstantin Remchukov, editor of Nezavisimaya Gazeta, noted that Russian forces could halt once the final 0.5% is secured, allowing redeployment to eastern Ukraine. Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasized on April 22 that ceasefire talks are complex and ongoing, with no rush to conclude, countering Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s claims that Russia uses negotiations to mask battlefield advances.
[](https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/ukraine-finally-squeezed-out-kursk-russian-army-retakes-key-monastery)[](https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/04/22/russian-army-retakes-monastery-in-last-ukrainian-held-village-in-kursk-tass-a88820)[](https://x.com/247dotAg/status/1914695374356308065)Read more about ceasefire discussions at Al Jazeera.
[](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/4/22/putin-hints-at-direct-talks-with-ukraine)