Putin visited the Kursk region for the first time since Russia said it expelled Ukrainian forces

Russian President Vladimir Putin has visited the Kursk region for the first time since Russia said it expelled Ukrainian forces from the area in April.

The Kremlin said Wednesday that Putin visited Kursk on the border with Ukraine the day before.

Ukrainian forces made a into Kursk in August 2024 in the largest cross-border raid by Kyiv's forces in the nearly 2 ½-year war, before being pushed out by Russian troops nine months later. Ukraine has not confirmed its expulsion from the area.

Putin visited Kursk Nuclear Power Plant-2, which is still under construction, and spoke at a closed meeting with selected volunteers. He also told acting Gov. Alexander Khinshtein that the Kremlin supported the idea of continuing monthly payments to displaced families that still could not return to their homes.

Disgruntled residents had previously shown their disapproval over a lack of compensation in rare organized protests.

Russia's Ministry of Defense said its air defenses shot down 159 Ukrainian drones across the country overnight, including 53 over the Oryol region and 51 over the Bryansk region.