Putin 'makes first visit to Kursk since Ukraine incursion' ahead of US-Russia talks (2025)

Table of Contents

Live Reporting

Edited by Emily Atkinson and Sean Seddon

World waits to find out what Putin's next move ispublished at 22:00 Greenwich Mean Time 12 March
22:00 GMT 12 March
Imogen James
Live reporter
Russia is yet to respond to the proposed 30-day ceasefire in the conflict agreed by the US and Ukraine.
In the mean time, the war continues. Here's what's happened today, before we close our live coverage:
- Putin has visited Kursk, the Kremlin says - which, if confirmed, would be the first time he's made the trip since Ukraine pushed across the border in August last year. Our correspondent in Ukraine says this unexpected visit could amount to the Kremlin's ceasefire response
- The US confirmed National Security Adviser Mike Waltz has spoken to his Russian counterpart on the phone, and special envoy Steve Witkoff will visit Moscow in the coming days
- Meanwhile, Zelensky told reporters that "everything depends on whether Russia wants a ceasefire deal"
- Trump is also putting pressure on Russia - he said earlier that penalties for them could be "devastating" if they opt to continue the war
And finally, here's what our security correspondent Frank Gardner makes of the ceasefire deal. Thank you for joining us.
Watch: Ukraine loses territory to Russia in Kurskpublished at 21:46 Greenwich Mean Time 12 March
21:46 GMT 12 March
How the US, Ukraine and Russia see the ceasefire proposalpublished at 21:43 Greenwich Mean Time 12 March
21:43 GMT 12 March
Frank Gardner
Security correspondent
Image source, Getty Images
This US-brokered ceasefire proposal is not exactly what either side wanted - which is why, paradoxically, it might have some chance of success.
By now, Ukraine and its allies would ideally have liked to be in a strong enough position to drive a hard bargain with Moscow. They’re not, which is why this deal - along with the resumption of US military and intelligence aid - offers Ukraine a lifeline.
Russia reckons it is slowly winning this war so there will be those who want it to continue. But a lot of this is about optics - meaning how things appear and how people want them to appear.
Ukraine’s leadership has been getting advice from its friends, including Britain’s National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell. Their message is clear: like it or not, you must mend relations with the White House and not go up against Trump. Hence Ukraine falling swiftly into line with the US proposal for a comprehensive 30-day ceasefire.
For Trump, it represents a clear vindication of his strategy: forcing an end to a war he sees as unwinnable.
The challenge now for Moscow is how to cling on to its original, maximalist goals for subjugating Ukraine, while not appearing to be an obstacle to peace. This will entail some nimble planning behind the walls of the Kremlin.
Kursk region remains crucial to both Russia and Ukrainepublished at 21:36 Greenwich Mean Time 12 March
21:36 GMT 12 March
Danny Aeberhard
Europe regional editor
Image source, Reuters
The Kremlin says President Putin has visited a command post in the Kursk region, where Russia has been retaking territory, as it attempts to oust invading Ukrainian forces.
Unusually for the Russian leader, he's dressed in combat gear. If it's confirmed to have taken place in Kursk, it would be the first time Putin has visited the region since Ukrainian troops seized territory there in August.
Ukraine has lost much of the land it originally captured, and its hold on what it retains looks increasingly tenuous.
Ukraine's commander-in-chief has acknowledged that his country's troops have pulled back from certain positions in Kursk.
General Oleksandr Syrskyi promised that, despite the heightened pressure, Ukraine would stay in Kursk as long as it was - in his words - "expedient and necessary" - a phrase that gives Kyiv leeway.
Ukraine has hoped to use land it holds in Kursk as a bargaining chip to exchange for Ukrainian territory held by Russia, as part of any peace settlement.
Teenage Russian agents blew themselves up in attack, Ukraine claimspublished at 21:22 Greenwich Mean Time 12 March
21:22 GMT 12 March
Ukraine's intelligence service (SBU) says that two young Ukrainians working as Russian agents blew themselves up while carrying out an attack in the city of Ivano-Frankivsk.
One 17-year-old died and his 15-year-old accomplice was seriously injured, it said.
Two explosions rocked Ivano-Frankivsk on Tuesday, with one person reportedly killed and three others wounded. It's not clear if the two alleged attackers are part of the casualties reported in local media.
The SBU said Russia recruited them through Telegram channels, with promises of "easy money".
The BBC has not been able to independently verify the SBU's claim.
Choregraphed Kursk visit may be Putin’s response to ceasefire dealpublished at 21:11 Greenwich Mean Time 12 March
21:11 GMT 12 March
James Waterhouse
Ukraine correspondent in Kyiv
It’s not something you see every day: Vladimir Putin, with his soldiers, in camouflage.
He’s in Russia’s western Kursk region, where Ukrainian troops had seized territory in a surprise attack last summer.
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Kyiv had hoped it would force Russia to compromise, but its forces are being pushed back, with Moscow now claiming to be in control of the city of Sudzha - which Ukraine disputes.
At the time of the surprise cross-border incursion by Ukrainian troops, there was barely a mention by Russia’s leader.
Now, with America and Ukraine waiting to see whether Moscow agrees to their proposal for a month-long truce, this choregraphed visit may well be Putin’s response.
Until now his senior aides have dismissed any suggestion of a ceasefire, and this doesn’t suggest Russia’s leader is suddenly up for a pausing of hostilities.
He even mentioned “finally defeating the enemy in an address to troops", according to the Kremlin.
Volodymyr Zelensky says he hopes the US will “act strongly” if Putin doesn’t agree to their ceasefire vision. The latter doesn’t seem too concerned.
White House confirms special envoy heading to Moscowpublished at 20:36 Greenwich Mean Time 12 March
20:36 GMT 12 March
We've just had confirmation of something we reported a little earlier.
Trump's National Security Advisor Mike Waltz has had a phone call today with his Russian counterpart to discuss the ceasefire proposal agreed by Ukraine and the US, the White House has confirmed.
Separately, Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff is travelling to Moscow later this week, according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt says.
"Weurge the Russians to sign onto this plan," Leavitt told reporters, adding that the president is "expecting the Russians to help us run this into the end zone".
Pictures show Putin visiting Kursk command centrepublished at 20:15 Greenwich Mean Time 12 March
20:15 GMT 12 March
We can now bring you images released by the Kremlin of Vladimir Putin at a command centre in Russia’s Kursk region.
As we've been reporting, it's the Russian president's first visit to the region since Ukraine's incursion across the border in August last year.
Image source, Kremlin
Image source, Kremlin
Image source, Kremlin
Ukraine army chief hints that some soldiers pulling back in Kurskpublished at 19:53 Greenwich Mean Time 12 March
19:53 GMT 12 March
The head of Ukraine's military, Oleksandr Syrsky, has indicated that some of its troops are withdrawing from Russia's Kursk region.
In a post on the Telegram messaging app, Syrsky says: "In the most difficult situation, my priority has been and remains saving the lives of Ukrainian soldiers.
"To this end, the units of the defence forces, if necessary, manoeuvre to more favourable positions."
It comes as Moscow claims to have recaptured more of Kursk from Ukraine.
Russian media reports that Vladimir Putin has ordered the military to "fully liberate" the region while on a visit there.
Putin speaks during Kursk visit - reportspublished at 19:35 Greenwich Mean Time 12 March
19:35 GMT 12 March
Vladimir Putin is yet to comment on a ceasefire proposal agreed by Ukraine and the US last night, but he has been speaking about an element of the conflict during a visit to Kursk, according to Russian media.
State-linked outlets are reporting his comments from the Russian region where Ukrainian forces have held territory since last August.
They also published images of Putin wearing military fatigues at a military post there.
Putin orders the Russian military to "fully liberate" the Kursk region in the near future, reports say.
He also says the Ukrainian soldiers there will be treated as "terrorists" rather than prisoners of war.
Putin makes first visit to Kursk since Ukraine incursionpublished at 19:05 Greenwich Mean Time 12 March
19:05 GMT 12 MarchBreaking
Vitaliy Shevchenko
Russia editor, BBC Monitoring
Vladimir Putin has visited Russia's Kursk region for the first time since Ukraine's incursion across the border in August last year.
More than 1,100 sq km of territory taken by Ukraine in the region has been recaptured by Russia, Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov claims.
Putin has spoken in Kursk too - we'll bring you more on that very soon.
Key Trump aide speaks to Russian counterpart - reportpublished at 18:59 Greenwich Mean Time 12 March
18:59 GMT 12 March
Reuters news agency is reporting that US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz spoke to his Russian counterpart today.
Press secretary Karoline Leavitt also reportedly confirmed Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff is going to Moscow this week.
It comes after the US president told reporters a few hours ago that American officials were already on their way to Russia.
We'll bring you more on this when we get it.
It's over to you, UK defence secretary tells Putinpublished at 18:54 Greenwich Mean Time 12 March
18:54 GMT 12 March
Image source, Reuters
We're now hearing from UK Defence Secretary John Healey at a news conference alongside his counterparts from Italy, France, Germany and Poland.
As we've been reporting, they've been meeting in Paris to discuss security arrangements for Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire agreement between Kyiv and Moscow.
He says these have been "decisive days" in the push for peace in Ukraine, and praises Trump and Zelensky for their efforts.
Addressing Putin, he says it's "over to you now" and says the Russian president must "prove" he's serious about agreeing a deal. He adds: "Make no mistake, the pressure is now on Putin."
He says representatives from more than 30 countries have been involved in discussions about putting together a so-called "coalition of the willing" to uphold any ceasefire in Ukraine.
Healey says there is agreement in Europe that "we must rearm, we must spend more, we must work together to strengthen our industrial base".
He tells reporters the UK is preparing to host a further defence summit in the coming weeks.
Fifteen countries could give Ukraine security guarantees, says Francepublished at 18:27 Greenwich Mean Time 12 March
18:27 GMT 12 March
Laura Gozzi
Europe reporter
UK, German, French, Polish and Italian defence ministers meeting in Paris to discuss security for Ukraine have been speaking to journalists.
French Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu, who chaired the talks, says that "the real security guarantees here will be the help we can give to the Ukrainian army."
He says around 15 countries were looking to give some sort of security guarantees.
"It's complex... we have to think about matters of security in the Black Sea, nuclear power plants in Ukraine... and we will have to start thinking about dividing up these responsibilities."
Chiefs of defence staff will meet again in 15 days, he adds, saying: "Why 15 days? Because if Russia has accepted the ceasefire we'll obviously want to use the 30 days to come up with the structure of the security framework."
UK expels Russian diplomat as embassy tensions deepenpublished at 18:19 Greenwich Mean Time 12 March
18:19 GMT 12 March
Image source, Reuters
The UK has expelled a Russian diplomat and a Russian diplomatic spouse from the country in retaliation to a similar move by Moscow.
The Foreign Office said it had summoned Russian ambassador Andrei Kelin and told him "the UK will not stand for intimidation of British embassy staff and their families".
Earlier, the UK condemned the expulsion of a British diplomat and a diplomatic spouse, saying: "The accusations made against these individuals are entirely false, fabricated in order to justify their increasing harassment of UK diplomats.
"It is clear that the Russian state is actively seeking to drive the British Embassy in Moscow towards closure and has no regard for the dangerous escalatory impact of this."
Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) had accused the diplomat and diplomatic spouse of "intelligence and subversive work" and ordered them to leave Russia within two weeks.
Last month, the UK expelled a Russian diplomat - an action taken in response to Moscow's expulsion of a British diplomat in November 2024.
Russia continues to push towards Sumy region - Ukraine officialpublished at 17:58 Greenwich Mean Time 12 March
17:58 GMT 12 March
Image source, State Emergency Service of Ukraine
We've had an update about ongoing attempts by Russian forces to cross into Ukraine's north-eastern Sumy region.
Andriy Demchenko, a spokesman for Ukraine's State Border Service, says some 20 Russian servicemen have been killed in the area.
"Trying to push the Ukrainian defence forces out of Kursk Region, the Russians are waging dozens of assaults at Ukrainian positions," Demchenko told Ukrainian media.
"They are trying to encircle our forces in Kursk Region or cut logistics routes.
"Now we are registering attempts to cross the border by small enemy assault groups, two or three, sometimes five servicemen, whose task is to penetrate our territory as deep as possible, build up their presence, dig in and expand an area of military actions there."
Giving up territories would be 'unacceptable', says Ukrainian military leaderpublished at 17:29 Greenwich Mean Time 12 March
17:29 GMT 12 March
A UAV squad team leader in the Ukrainian army has told the BBC the ceasefire plan is "a good idea," but he is worried about the deal's conditions.
Speaking to the BBC World Service's Outside Source programme Anton, who is currently fighting in the Donbas region, says "it seems like we are being forced to give up on our territories, which is unacceptable to me".
"We will never trust Russia to respect a ceasefire," he says.
"To put it as a boxing analogy, this is the tenth round. Both of the boxers are worn out, but we still have the 11th and 12th round in front of us. Everybody is so tired, but we know that we have to carry on just to get to the finish."
Turkey hopes Russia will 'respond constructively' to ceasefire dealpublished at 17:00 Greenwich Mean Time 12 March
17:00 GMT 12 March
Image source, Reuters
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has welcomed Ukraine's accepting a 30-day ceasefire with Russia after talks with US officials yesterday.
"We hope that Russia will also respond constructively," he said in a statement with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
Erdogan reiterated Turkey's willingness to host further peace negotiations - an offer Ankara has made before on several occasions.
Turkey hosted initial talks between the two countries just months after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, helping to secure a deal for the safe passage of grain exports in the Black Sea.
Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky visited Turkey earlier this month for a meeting with the president, during which the pair discussed the latest developments in the war.
The Turkish foreign minister also attended a summit hosted by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London a couple of weeks ago, during which leaders from Europe and beyond agreed on a four-step plan to guarantee peace in Ukraine.
US and Russian officials to discuss Ukraine ceasefire planspublished at 16:49 Greenwich Mean Time 12 March
16:49 GMT 12 March
Image source, Reuters
As we've been reporting, US and Russian officials are due to speak today about Washington's proposal for a Ukraine war ceasefire. We're yet to hear what the outcome of these talks might be.
But a short while ago US President Donald Trump said he had received "positive messages" about the potential of a ceasefire, and Washington's representatives "are going to Russia right now as we speak" to discuss the proposal.
Earlier, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said "the ball is truly in their [Russia's] court", emphasising that the only way to end the war was through negotiations.
The Kremlin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, avoided giving any indication of Moscow's reaction to the proposals.
Instead, Peskov said Russia was "carefully studying the statements" made after yesterday's US-Ukraine talks - during which Kyiv agreed to a 30-day ceasefire - and would wait to be briefed by American officials before commenting further.
Trump warns of 'devastating' penalties for Russia if talks failpublished at 16:34 Greenwich Mean Time 12 March
16:34 GMT 12 March
Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from the White House
Speaking to reporters inside the Oval Office, Trump says that penalties for Russia could be "devastating" if they opt to continue the war.
"There are things you can do that wouldn't be pleasant in a financial sense. I can do things financially," Trump says.
"It would be very bad for Russia. I don't want to do that, because I want to get peace."
Those "financial things" could be "devastating" for Moscow, he adds.
"We're getting close to maybe getting something [on Ukraine] done," Trump tells reporters, noting that he believes the once "difficult" Ukrainian side has changed their mindset.
"I had somebody [Zelensky] that didn't seem to want peace. Now he's agreed to peace," Trump goes. "So we'll see."
The president declines to assess the potential for a deal, but says he believes "it makes sense for Russia and adds "we've also discussed land".