Russian forces killed over 80 Ukrainian troops trapped in a cauldron in the Olgovskaya Grove forest area of Kursk region, and took 24 fighters prisoner, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced Sunday.
"As a result of effective strikes, more than 80 nationalists were killed, and about 40 Ukrainian Armed Forces servicemen were wounded, some of whom were abandoned by their fellow soldiers; in addition, 24 Ukrainian militants were taken prisoner," the statement read.
The attempted breakout reportedly began at 4 am (01:00 GMT) this morning, when enemy forces in groups of 15-20 tried to evacuate the area.
The operation to expel enemy forces from the area is continuing, with cleanup operations underway, the MoD said.
Ukraine's NATO-backed military began its attempted incursion into Russia's Kursk region in August. Russian forces stopped the invasion, and began a grueling campaign to gradually expel enemy forces. According to the latest MoD figures, over 33,250 enemy troops have been killed and more than 210 tanks destroyed in fighting for the area.