MOSCOW, May 21, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has visited the border region of Kursk, his first to the area since it was fully recaptured from Ukrainian forces, the Kremlin said Wednesday.

Putin rarely visits areas near the front line and his movements to border regions are often kept under wraps until after he has returned.

During the visit on Tuesday, Putin met the region's governor, spoke with local volunteers and inspected the site of a multi-billion dollar nuclear power plant under construction.

Images aired on the Rossiya 24 state news channel showed a smiling Putin sitting around a large table decked with tea and sweets, as he met with local volunteers.

In a meeting with governor Alexander Khinshtein, Putin called for demining teams to be expanded and pledged continued monthly payments of around $800 to residents forced to flee their homes.

"We will certainly support them," Putin said, acknowledging in a separate meeting that the economic situation in the region was "difficult".

Ukraine launched a surprise incursion into the Kursk region in August 2024, seizing hundreds of square kilometres of territory in a major military setback for the Kremlin.

Russia deployed thousands of troops from its ally North Korea to counter attack, but did not fully claim control of the region until April, almost nine months later.

The incursion was a major embarrassment for Putin, who has sought to project a sense of normality on the home front as his army fights in Ukraine.

Kyiv had hoped land in the Kursk region would act as a bargaining chip in future negotiations with Russia, which has seized and occupied around a fifth of its territory.

Putin said Ukraine was maintaining its attacks on the border territory.

"Every day the enemy attempts to cross the Russian state border," the Kremlin chief said.

Moscow launched its full-scale offensive against Ukraine in February 2022.