Ukrainian forces advance in Kursk region, Russian invaders keep trying to capture Pokrovsk. Military review

Ukrainian Defense Forces advance in Kursk region

In the Kursk region, Ukrainian Defense Forces have advanced in certain areas from 15 to 35 kilometers and are being covered by artillery, including from Sumy region. The Russian forces are also pulling up reserves, which also affects the situation. We now realize that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are advancing in several directions. If we take the settlement of Sudzha as a basis, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are now advancing from Sudzha to Kursk. On the road leading to Kursk, fighting has been going on since the first days. Also, at the level of the village of Martynivka, fighting is ongoing. Ukrainian troops are advancing along the Sudzha- Lgov road. This is the area where we have the greatest success. Actually, the distance to the village of Lgov is 14 kilometers. However, to ensure the stability of Ukrainian troops at this bridgehead, we should pay special attention to our flanks. In particular, the eastern flank - from Sudzha, where our advance is not so significant. Now the Russsians are moving the largest number of their reserves to this eastern flank - the 510th Brigade and some units of the 11th Detached Assault Brigade, as well as Kadyrov's troops. However, in any case, the accumulation of Russian forces is quite significant, which means that countermeasures using artillery or other means of destruction will be required.

                                                                        Map of hostilities in the Kursk region for August 14-21

The most important battle line in the Kursk region is the western flank, where the basis of the Russian defense is the village of Korenevo. The Ukrainian armed forces are trying to bypass Korenevo from the south and north. This settlement is important because beyond it, Rylsk actually begins and the possibility of cutting the Rylsk- Lgov highway. This route is critical for the Russians, and if Ukraine establish fire control over this route or reach it physically, it will significantly complicate the enemy's holding of the entire group in this western section. Now the dynamics in all directions is strong, but the details will come later. We understand that this entire offensive is currently undergoing significant dynamic changes.

Third Detached Assault Brigade conducts successful counterattack in Makiivka area

The command of the Third Detached Assault Brigade announced that on August 15, counterattacks had significantly destroyed and pushed the Russian troops in the direction of Makiivka. In this direction, the Russians were gathering forces and trying to conduct offensive actions. The Russian forces suffered significant losses. According to the brigade commander Andriy Biletskyi the feature of the offensive operation was that the Russians had an advantage in manpower and equipment, but due to clear planning we managed to level these advantages and ensure the advance of Ukrainian units. This operation is important because it also restrains the Russian reserves, which could have moved to the Kursk region.

Russian troops advance in Pokrovsk direction

The Pokrovsk direction remains the most difficult section of the frontline today. The city of Pokrovsk remains the main logistics hub of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the central part of Donbas, which is the basis for Ukrainian defense in the east and south. The Economist has written that Pokrovsk is preparing for a "nasty, new phase of war". It actually refers to the complex consequences of the Russian advance. We know that the Russian forces are more than 8 kilometers away from Pokrovsk and there is a whole agglomeration of defense lines there. The Russians are now making offensive moves towards Hrodivka and Novohrodivka. They are trying to move south and further to Kurakhove, posing a threat to Ukraine's entire grouping as they move their forces from north to south. Two days ago, Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi reported to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that measures are being taken to strengthen Ukrainian forces in the Pokrovsk and Toretsk directions. We hope that these measures are indeed being implemented, as the situation remains alarming and difficult.

                                                         Map of combat actions in the Pokrovsk direction for August 14-21

Ukrainian defense forces hold back overpowering Russian forces in the Pokrovsk direction

Serhiy Tsehotskyi, an officer with the 59th Detached Motorized Infantry Brigade named after Yakiv Handziuk, said the situation in the Pokrovsk direction is very tense. Despite the fact that the Russian forces have been constantly imposing a high intensity of fighting, the situation is getting even hotter every day. According to the officer, a month after the capture of Avdiivka, the Russians began active offensive and assault operations in the Pokrovsk direction. The Russians are constantly using heavy armored vehicles for this purpose. In particular, the Russian troops recently attempted to enter Karlivka on an armored personnel carrier. Tsehotskyi said that all the equipment was destroyed along with the occupants' personnel. According to him, on August 23 the Russians attempted to attack in the area of Krasnohorivka using 15 units of heavy armored vehicles. Ukrainian defense forces destroyed two T-72 tanks and two Russian BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles. Tsehotskyi noted that the Ukrainian Defense Forces keep fulfilling their tasks and holding the defense in the Pokrovsk direction, holding back the Russians. He emphasized that the command at all levels controls the situation in the Pokrovsk direction and urged not to panic about the situation in this area of the front.

Serhiy Tsehotskyi also added that the Russians are continuously conducting infantry assaults in the Pokrovsk direction. According to him, earlier the enemy only tried to use equipment for offensive actions. Now the situation has changed, and the Russian armored vehicles are involved in offensive actions every day. He added that thanks to donations from Ukrainians, the brigades' units are assembling individual electronic warfare equipment themselves, which allows them to deactivate more than 100 Russian UAVs daily. Also, according to him, the adjacent brigades of Ukrainian Defense Forces are constantly exchanging information and data on combat operations.

Ukraine has means to destroy Russians in Pokrovsk direction

Serhiy Tsehotskyi, an officer of the 59th Detached Motorized Infantry Brigade named after Yakiv Handziuk, spoke about the work of the artillery of the Ukrainian Defense Forces in the Pokrovsk direction. According to him, Ukrainian artillery is constantly working in this area of the frontline, if necessary. In particular, artillery is constantly working on Russian equipment during active Russian offensives. Tsehotskyi emphasized that any needs of the units to perform combat missions are realized through requests to Ukraine's Ministry of Defense. This applies, in particular, to mortars, shells and other weapons. The officer emphasized that there is plenty to destroy the Russians with.

Tsehotskyi also said that the brigade's units are actively using ground-based unmanned systems. In particular, for mining. The officer did not elaborate on this topic in order not to disclose information that could be used by the enemy, but noted that the occupation Russian forces would not be able to move freely and advance on Ukrainian territory. Tsehotskyi also spoke about the Ukrainian Armed Forces' fortifications and defense lines. According to him, the work on the construction and strengthening of the Ukrainian defense lines is ongoing. Engineers of the Defense Forces are working in this direction around the clock.