A Chechen commander alleged that Russia retook several settlements in Kursk Oblast amid unconfirmed claims from Sept. 11 that Russia launched a counterattack in the region from the west. Ukraine has not commented on the claims, which cannot be independently verified. If confirmed, this could present a serious challenge to Ukrainian forces that have been holding parts of Kursk Oblast since the start of the cross-border incursion on Aug. 6. “As far as I know, (Russian soldiers) have already recaptured several settlements” of Kursk Oblast, commander of the Akhmat unit Apti Alaudinov claimed on hi…