Kyiv's top general said on Monday that Ukrainian troops fighting in Russia's Kursk region were not at risk of encirclement, despite a recent counteroffensive by Russian forces that has included North Korean troops.

On the battlefield, Russian forces are reportedly trying to encircle thousands of Ukrainian soldiers in the Kursk region, where they recaptured three settlements on Sunday. Meanwhile, talks are taking place on Tuesday between Ukrainians and US officials in Saudi Arabia, at which Kyiv is expected to push for a truce with Russia in the sea and sky.