President Vladimir Putin visited Russia’s Kursk region for the first time since Moscow claimed that it drove Ukrainian forces out of the area last month, the Kremlin said Wednesday.

"The statements by representatives of (Russia) about the alleged end of combat operations in Kursk Oblast do not reflect the actual situation," Ukraine's General Staff said in a statement.

US President Donald Trump has privately acknowledged that Russian President Vladimir Putin has no intention of ending the war in

During his visit on May 20, Putin met with municipal leaders from Kursk Oblast. Pavel Zolotarev, head of the Glushkovo district, requested Putin to create a "buffer zone" in Sumy Oblast. Putin inquired about the depth of this buffer zone,

Kursk is a region in western Russia, not far from the border with Ukraine. In recent months, it has been a hotspot in the ongoing war. Russia claims it has taken back full control of the area. Ukraine says its troops are still active there.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine denied the statements of representatives of the aggressor country of russia about the alleged end of

Vladimir Putin made a surprise inspection at a nuclear plant in Kursk, in his first visit to the region since Russian forces claimed they ejected Ukrainian troops from the area last month. Video footage posted by Russian state media shows Putin walking around the plant in a hard hat,