Ukraine claims to halt Russian counter-offensive in Kursk region

In this photo taken from video released by the Russian Defence Ministry, a Russian soldier fires Msta-B howitzer toward a Ukrainian position in the Kursk region. (Photo/AP)

Russia's counter-offensive to retake territory captured by Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region has been "stopped", a spokesperson from Ukraine's military administration set up in the area claimed.

"They tried to attack from the flanks, but they were stopped there," spokesman Oleksiy Dmytrashkivsky said on Wednesday. "The situation was stabilised and today everything is under control, they are not successful," he said.

There is no immediate response from Russia.

Russia earlier this month said it had seized several villages back from Ukraine in the Kursk region, where Kiev has held on to swathes of land since its surprise incursion in early August.

Dmytrashkivsky also said there were "several thousand" Russian civilians in areas occupied by Ukrainian troops.

"In some settlements there are more than 100 people, more than 200, more than 500," he said. Russia has not said how many of its civilians remain in the Kiev-controlled areas, saying only that around 130,000 have fled.

The Ukrainian military official admitted "some minor success" by Moscow.

"The Russians entered one of the settlements. They started fighting for another settlement, but that was it," he said.

It was not possible to verify these claims independently.

Ukrainian drones hit west Russia arms depot

Ukrainian drones struck an arms depot in Russia's western Tver region early on Wednesday, sparking a massive blaze that led to the evacuation of nearby residents, a Ukrainian security source said.

Videos posted on Russian social media showed a fireball erupting into the night sky, while a shockwave spread out below. Another video showed columns of smoke and flames rising over a body of water.

The inferno prompted a "partial evacuation of residents" in the area, while 150 firefighters and rescuers worked to contain the blaze, Tver region governor Igor Rudenya said.

Residents who had evacuated Toropets were later allowed to return, he said in a post several hours later. While some people suffered minor injuries, no-one was killed, he said.

A source in Ukraine's security services claimed responsibility.

Ukrainian drones "wiped out a large warehouse of the main missile and artillery directorate of the Russian Ministry of Defence in the town of Toropets, Tver region," the source said.

"The warehouse contained missiles for Iskander tactical missile systems, Tochka-U tactical missile systems, guided aerial bombs and artillery ammunition. After the hits by Ukrainian drones, an extremely powerful detonation began," it added.

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Source: TRT