Deputy chief of the Main Military-Political Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces Lieutenant General Apty Alaudinov told Russia 1 channel on Tuesday that the Russian armed forces have "in principle" already bypassed the city of Sudza in the Kursk region from three sides.

"We are already fighting in the vicinity of Sudzha. The rest of the territory, in principle, is almost all already cleared. All the forest plantations, all the populated areas, they are almost all already liberated," Alaudinov said.

Sudza is the largest populated area captured by Ukraine during its incursion into the Kursk region and its capture is vital for Russia's effort to recapture the territory lost to Kiev's forces in August last year.