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Ukrainian forces launched a surprise attack into Russia’s Kursk region from multiple directions on August 6, marking the most significant incursion by Kyiv’s troops since the war began. The operation, involving up to 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers according to Western military analysts, has exposed vulnerabilities in Russia’s border security and caused embarrassment for the Kremlin.
The Ukrainian military encountered minimal resistance at the Russian border, which was primarily guarded by poorly trained conscripts and national guard units. Ukraine managed to conceal its preparations for the attack and did not inform its allies, such as the United States or Poland, about the plan. The US has not raised objections to the use of American-supplied weapons in the Kursk region.
What gains have Ukraine made?
Currently, Ukraine’s military claims to control 74 towns and settlements, covering approximately 1,000 square kilometers (400 square miles) of territory. They have reportedly captured over 100 Russian soldiers and destroyed a Russian Su-34 jet.
The Russian defense ministry has reported clashes with Ukrainian forces near settlements about 25 kilometers (15 miles) from the border, and a Russian commander claims ongoing fighting in Sudzja, the administrative center of the incursion area, located about 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the border. Casualty figures for both sides have not been independently confirmed. Russia has been slow to deploy sufficient reinforcements to repel the Ukrainian advance, relying on air and rocket strikes along with artillery fire.
Ukraine’s objectives for the operation include establishing a buffer zone to deter shelling of its territory from the Kursk region, as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine has been shelled by Russia more than 2,000 times from the area this summer. The operation may also aim to divert Russian troops from battles in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, where Moscow has been making gradual progress. Additionally, the push into Russian territory demonstrates Ukraine’s resolute resistance against a larger Russian army and could strengthen Ukraine’s position in potential future negotiations to end the war, according to Zelenskyy adviser Mykhailo Podolyak.
How has Russia reacted?
The operation has seemingly shocked Russia, highlighting weaknesses in the country’s protection and shattering the Kremlin’s narrative that Russia has been largely unaffected by the war. President Vladimir Putin condemned the attack as a “large-scale provocation” and held nationally televised meetings with top security officials to discuss the situation. In response, Russia has redeployed some troops to Kursk from the strategically important region near Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv. While Russia is unlikely to withdraw entire fighting units from eastern Ukraine, it may redirect troops initially intended to reinforce the front lines in Donetsk, according to The Institute for the Study of War analytic group.
The Ukrainian military encountered minimal resistance at the Russian border, which was primarily guarded by poorly trained conscripts and national guard units. Ukraine managed to conceal its preparations for the attack and did not inform its allies, such as the United States or Poland, about the plan. The US has not raised objections to the use of American-supplied weapons in the Kursk region.
What gains have Ukraine made?
Currently, Ukraine’s military claims to control 74 towns and settlements, covering approximately 1,000 square kilometers (400 square miles) of territory. They have reportedly captured over 100 Russian soldiers and destroyed a Russian Su-34 jet.
The Russian defense ministry has reported clashes with Ukrainian forces near settlements about 25 kilometers (15 miles) from the border, and a Russian commander claims ongoing fighting in Sudzja, the administrative center of the incursion area, located about 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the border. Casualty figures for both sides have not been independently confirmed. Russia has been slow to deploy sufficient reinforcements to repel the Ukrainian advance, relying on air and rocket strikes along with artillery fire.
Ukraine’s objectives for the operation include establishing a buffer zone to deter shelling of its territory from the Kursk region, as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine has been shelled by Russia more than 2,000 times from the area this summer. The operation may also aim to divert Russian troops from battles in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, where Moscow has been making gradual progress. Additionally, the push into Russian territory demonstrates Ukraine’s resolute resistance against a larger Russian army and could strengthen Ukraine’s position in potential future negotiations to end the war, according to Zelenskyy adviser Mykhailo Podolyak.
How has Russia reacted?
The operation has seemingly shocked Russia, highlighting weaknesses in the country’s protection and shattering the Kremlin’s narrative that Russia has been largely unaffected by the war. President Vladimir Putin condemned the attack as a “large-scale provocation” and held nationally televised meetings with top security officials to discuss the situation. In response, Russia has redeployed some troops to Kursk from the strategically important region near Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv. While Russia is unlikely to withdraw entire fighting units from eastern Ukraine, it may redirect troops initially intended to reinforce the front lines in Donetsk, according to The Institute for the Study of War analytic group.
