Putin offers safe passage to Ukrainians in Kursk

As tensions simmer in the war-torn region of Kursk, Russian President Vladimir Putin has pledged to spare the lives of Ukrainian soldiers if they surrender to Russian forces (via Reuters).

This statement comes in the wake of an urgent appeal from United States President Donald Trump, who publicly urged Putin to avoid a horrible massacre in the western Russian region, stressing the humanitarian consequences of further violence.

The situation has sparked a war of words between Kyiv and Moscow, with Ukraine vehemently denying Russian claims that its troops are surrounded, branding them as propaganda aimed at political manipulation.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has acknowledged the challenging situation, although he insists that Ukrainian forces are maintaining their positions, so it remains to be seen how the situation will unfold.