Ukrainian units quickly drove deep into the Kursk region in several directions, meeting little resistance and sowing chaos and panic. As the most capable Russian units were fighting in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, Moscow didn’t have enough land forces to protect the Kursk region and other border areas.

All Ukrainian troops have been forced from Russia’s Kursk region, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Saturday. Ukrainian officials have not commented on the claim.

Ukraine denied that it had been pushed out of the region and said that its military operations inside Russia were continuing.