WASHINGTON 

The US and Ukrainian army chiefs on Friday discussed the latest developments in the Russia-Ukraine war.

Gen. CQ Brown, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, and his Ukrainian counterpart Oleksandr Syrskyi also exchanged views on current security assistance efforts.

The US remains focused on ensuring Ukraine has the means to defend itself in its fight for democracy, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, Brown said on X.

The phone call came after Syrskyi said Kyiv's forces were advancing between one and three kilometers (up to 1.86 miles) in some areas in Russia's Kursk region, which it sent forces into on Aug. 6.

Ukraine said it now controls over 80 Russian settlements in Kursk, including the town of Sudzha, over an area of 1,150 square km (444 sq mi) since launching its major incursion into the border region.

The Pentagon on Thursday said that there was some indication that the Ukrainian attack in Russia is drawing Russian forces away Ukraine’s eastern provinces, a scene of fierce fighting during the 2 1/2-year long war.

"We have seen some Russian units be redirected from operations in Ukraine" towards Kursk, spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said, without commenting on the number of units or their possible objectives.