Russian military court convicts 184 Ukrainian servicemen involved in Kursk operation
Judges from Russia's 2nd Western District Military Court delivered verdicts for 184 Ukrainian servicemen captured during the Ukrainian Armed Forces' (AFU) incursion into the Kursk region, reports Mediazona.
The cases against those captured in Kursk stand apart from other terrorism-related cases in Russian courts due to a unified charge levied against all defendants – "committing a terrorist act by a group resulting in severe consequences." Since November 2024, a total of 159 cases involving 267 individuals have been brought to this court, the outlet specifies, though the sentences remain undisclosed.
As an example, Mediazona cites the case of AFU Junior Lieutenant Yevhen Goch, found guilty of terrorism by the Russian military court. The charge stems from his actions on October 8, 2024, when he allegedly entered Kursk, positioned himself near Olgovka, and spent three weeks hindering civilian evacuations and intimidating them through weapon display and use. Goch surrendered after being injured on October 27.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces launched an extensive military operation in Kursk on August 6, 2024, marking the first offensive of its kind since Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine began in February 2022. For an in-depth look, click here. By the third day of the Ukrainian operation, counter-terrorism measures were enforced in Belgorod, Bryansk, and Kursk. Then-governor Alexei Smirnov announced on August 12 that over 120,000 people had been evacuated, acknowledging AFU control over 28 localities in the area.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense announced the region's liberation at the end of April 2025, prompting a response from Ukraine’s General Staff that claimed the defensive operation in specific Kursk territories continues. More details here. TASS reported at the time that Russian forces captured over 500 Ukrainian soldiers in Kursk.