Ukraine's top army commander said on Wednesday that Kyiv's troops will keep operating in Russia's Kursk region as long as needed and that fighting continued in and around the town of Sudzha.

A Ukrainian serviceman patrols a street next to buildings damaged during fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces in the Ukrainian-controlled town of Sudzha in Russia's Kursk region, August 16, 2024.

Moscow’s military advances on the town of Sudzha may deprive Kyiv of a bargaining chip in peace talks. Russian forces have begun an assault on the town of Sudzha, the main population center in the Kursk region that was captured by Ukraine last year,

Kyiv has called on Moscow to respond to the proposed ceasefire, which it has agreed to, but the Kremlin says it will wait to be briefed by US officials.

The ball is now in Russia’s court. But Russia excels at grabbing the ball, pocketing it and debating the rules of the game before claiming the ball has in fact been stolen clean from them by the other team.