Efforts to eject Ukrainian forces from Russian territory accelerated after President Trump halted support for Kyiv.

Russian special forces walked inside a gas pipeline to strike Ukrainian units from the rear in the Kursk region, Ukraine’s military and Russian war bloggers reported, as Moscow claimed fresh gains in its push to recapture parts of the border province that Kyiv seized in a shock offensive.

A Ukrainian-born, pro-Russian military blogger, said Russian special forces walked miles along the inside of a gas pipeline before surprising Ukrainian forces from the rear.

Russia claimed on Sunday that it had retaken control of four settlements in the Kursk region, as Moscow continues to try to push out Ukrainian troops which have held large chunks of territory in the region following an incursion last August.

Yuri Podolyaka, a Ukrainian-born, pro-Russian military blogger, said Russian special forces crept nearly 16 km (10 miles) along the inside of the 1.5 metre wide gas pipeline and spent several days in the pipe before surprising Ukrainian forces from the rear near Sudzha.

Ukraine’s presence in Russia’s Kursk region has deteriorated sharply, with the advance threatening Kyiv’s sole territorial bargaining counter at a crucial time in the war.

Russia on Sunday announced a cross-border offensive had captured territory in Ukraine's Sumy region for the first time since 2022 as Kyiv struggles to hold onto territory in Russia's neighbouring