#EXCLUSIVE: Putin Offers Amnesty to Ukranian Soldiers in Kursk, Only If They Surrender

A short while ago, Russian President Vladimir Putin extended a conditional offer to spare the lives of Ukrainian soldiers in the Kursk region, a contested border area where Ukrainian forces have held ground since August 2024.

The proposal follows an appeal from U.S. President Donald Trump, who warned of a potential "horrible massacre" as Russian troops intensify their counteroffensive. Putin pledged that surrendering Ukrainian soldiers would be treated humanely under international and Russian law, but stipulated that Kyiv must first order its forces to lay down arms.

The Kursk incursion, launched by Ukraine to divert Russian resources, has become a flashpoint in the ongoing war. Recent Russian advances, supported by North Korean troops, have reportedly reduced Ukrainian-held territory from 1,300 to 500 square kilometers. Putin claimed that 12,000 Ukrainian soldiers are encircled, a figure Ukrainian officials dispute.

President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed encirclement claims as propaganda, though he admitted the situation remains "very difficult."

This offer comes amid heightened diplomatic and military tensions. Trump’s intervention reflects growing international concern over the conflict’s toll, with over 750,000 Russian casualties reported since 2022. Ukraine, facing its own losses, has rejected prior Russian ultimatums, and Zelensky has vowed to continue defending Ukrainian positions.

Analysts see Putin’s statement as both a tactical move to weaken Ukrainian resolve and a response to domestic pressure to reclaim Kursk. As fighting persists, the fate of the region—and Putin’s offer—hangs in the balance.