The Ukrainian military said its troops had captured 600 Russian soldiers and 100 settlements in Kursk. Meanwhile, Kyiv says it has test-fired a Ukrainian-made ballistic missile for the first time.

Ukraine has said its troops now control 1,294 square kilometers (nearly 500 square miles) and 100 settlements in Russia’s Kursk region, where Kyiv’s soldiers have been carrying out an incursion since August 6.

Ukraine’s top commander, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, also said 594 Russian soldiers have been captured so far and that Ukrainian troops are continuing to advance in the region.

In televised remarks, Syrskyi also said Russia had pulled troops to Kursk and decreased its activity in Ukraine’s south, which was one of the avowed objectives of Kyiv’s operation.

“The Kursk operation diverted a significant number of its forces,” he said.

“As of now, we can say that around 30,000 servicemen have been sent to the Kursk front and this figure is growing,” he added.