All Ukrainian troops have been forced from parts of Russia’s Kursk region, which Moscow lost control of last year to a surprise Ukrainian incursion, Russia’s top general said in a Kremlin meeting Saturday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed that his country has regained control of Kursk, the border region where Ukraine launched a surprise offensive last year, though Ukraine’s army says fighting continues.

Ukraine has denied Russian claims that it has been forced out of Russia's Kursk region. Valery Gerasimov, chief of staff of Russia's military, said his forces had regained full control of the region,