Russia is already transferring thousands of soldiers from the occupied territories to Kursk region
16 August 2024 10:36
According to senior US officials, Russia has been forced to redeploy several thousand troops from the occupied territories of Ukraine to counter an unexpected Ukrainian offensive in the Kursk region of Russia. This decision could potentially weaken Russian positions on the frontline in Ukraine, reports "Komersant Ukrainian"
John Kirby, spokesman for the US National Security Council, confirmed that Russia is moving resources and units to the Kursk region in response to Ukraine’s actions. According to US intelligence, several brigade elements have been moved to the region, each with at least 1,000 troops.
In addition to troops from the occupied territories of Ukraine, Russia has also sent personnel from the Leningrad Military District and Kaliningrad. However, according to sources familiar with Western intelligence, Russia has not yet moved its larger and better-trained units from Ukraine to Kursk, instead bolstering the region’s defence with mostly untrained conscripts from other parts of Russia.
The Ukrainian operation, which has taken even American officials by surprise, has already resulted in the seizure of more than 1,000 square kilometres of Russian territory. This has forced tens of thousands of Russians to flee their homes and created “strategic dilemmas” for Putin in terms of allocating military resources.
Despite Ukraine’s successes, Western experts warn that it is too early to assess how this operation will affect the overall course of the war. They also express doubts about Ukraine’s ability to hold the occupied territories for a long time.
Moreover, while Ukraine is attacking Kursk, Russia is building on its success in Donbas.
Kursk offensive
The Russian Armed Forces’ offensive in the Kursk region began on 6 August. Since then, there has been constant fighting there, and Russia has introduced a counter-terrorism operation in three regions bordering Ukraine.
According to unconfirmed reports, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have advanced up to 30 km in some areas. Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky reported to Supreme Commander-in-Chief Volodymyr Zelenskyy that 74 settlements were under the control of the Armed Forces. Later, it was reported that 100 settlements and more than 1,000 square kilometres of territory were under control.
Ukrainian soldiers are breaking records for capturing Russians: 102 Russian soldiers were captured the day before yesterday.
