Ukrainian troops confirm advance of 10 km in Russia's Kursk region - ISW

The Institute for the Study of War reports.

Geolocation footage from August 6 and 7 shows that Ukrainian armored vehicles have advanced to positions along the 38K-030 route, about 10 km from the international border.

“The current confirmed extent and location of Ukrainian advances in Kursk Oblast indicate that Ukrainian forces have penetrated at least two Russian defensive lines and a stronghold,” analysts believe.

A Russian insider source claimed that Ukrainian forces have seized 45 square kilometers of territory within Kursk Oblast since they launched the operation on August 6, and other Russian sources reported that Ukrainian forces have captured 11 total settlements, including Nikolaevo-Daryino (1.5 kilometers north of the Sumy Oblast border), Darino (three kilometers north of the Sumy Oblast border), and Sverdlikovo (east of the Nikolaevo-Darino-Darino area), and are operating within Lyubimovka (eight kilometers north of the Sumy Oblast border).

In addition, Russian sources claim that Ukrainian forces captured the Sudzha checkpoint and the Sudzha gas distribution station.

At the same time, geolocated imagery posted on August 7 shows that Ukrainian forces captured over 40 Russian prisoners of war (POWs) at the Sudzha checkpoint, and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Russia service posted satellite imagery that shows heavy damage to buildings at the Sudzha checkpoint.

What is known about cross-border raid in Russia’s Kursk region

On August 6, the authorities of the Kursk region of the Russian Federation stated that the Ukrainian Armed Forces allegedly tried to break through the Russian border, but were allegedly pushed back. Later, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that "the Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group retreated to its territory.”

The Main Intelligence Directorate refused to comment on the statements regarding the Kursk region. However, NV media, citing its own source in Ukrainian intelligence, wrote that the events in the Kursk region "definitely did not involve fighters of the Russian Volunteer Corps, who are fighting as part of Ukraine's Armed Forces.”

The Institute for the Study of War noted that the Russian Defense Ministry, acting governor of the Kursk region Alexei Smirnov, and some propagandists have different versions of the events in the Kursk region.

On August 7, Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin convened the Russian military leadership to discuss the situation in the Kursk region, which he called a "large-scale provocation." At the time, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called on the international community to "strongly condemn the Kyiv regime's criminal attacks on Russian territory."

Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin held a meeting with government officials and commented on the situation in the Kursk region, noting that Ukraine had allegedly made another provocation.

Staff at the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant fear that the plant's management has not prepared for a possible attack by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

In addition, Russians in the Kursk region have begun to create UAV operator units from civilians. They are given up to 10 hours for training.

On August 7, a state of emergency was introduced in the Kursk region.