Ukraine Carrys Out Cross Border Incursion into Russian Kursk Region

[Social Media]

 

A state of emergency has been declared in the Kursk region following the rare cross-border attack by Ukrainian troops that has persisted into its second day. The acting regional governor, Alexei Smirnov, emphasized that this move was essential "to eliminate the consequences of enemy forces coming into the region." In response to the incursion, thousands of people have been evacuated from border areas, and doctors are being brought in from other cities to manage the situation.

 

The unusual cross-border activity prompted President Vladimir Putin to accuse Ukraine of launching a "major provocation." According to Moscow, hundreds of Ukrainian troops crossed the border near the town of Sudzha, approximately 10 kilometers from the border, on Tuesday morning. These forces were reportedly supported by 11 tanks and over 20 armored combat vehicles.

 

Such incursions by Ukrainian forces into Russian territory have been exceedingly rare since Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. On Wednesday evening, Ukrainian MP Oleksiy Honcharenko claimed that the Ukrainian army had taken control of the Sudzha gas hub, a critical facility for the transit of natural gas from Russia to the EU via Ukraine. Although the BBC has not verified this claim, Honcharenko's statement marks the first official acknowledgment from a Ukrainian representative of an incursion into Russian territory. Prior to this, Kyiv had remained silent on reports of the cross-border attack.

 

In response, a White House spokesperson stated that the US had no prior knowledge of the attack and intended to contact the Ukrainian military to understand their objectives better. On social media, Honcharenko remarked, "Our mission is to defeat Russia. We need to beat their territory and need to destroy the enemy everywhere."

 

Russian military officials provided further details on the situation. In televised remarks, Russia's Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov informed President Putin that the Ukrainian "advance" into the Kursk region had been halted, with Russian forces continuing to counter the adversary near the Russian-Ukrainian border. Gerasimov reported that up to 1,000 Ukrainian troops had entered the region with the intent of taking over the area around Sudzha. He claimed that Russian forces had killed 100 Ukrainian soldiers and injured another 215.

 

Despite these official statements, some pro-war Telegram channels suggested that the situation on the ground might be more precarious than the Kremlin indicated. Blogger Yuri Kotenok described the fighting in Sudzha and nearby Korenevo as "heavy," while the channel Rybar reported that the situation around Sudzha was "continuing to deteriorate" with Ukrainian forces advancing toward the town.

 

The Russian National Guard has increased security at the Kursk nuclear power plant, located about 70 kilometers northeast of Sudzha. President Putin accused Ukrainian forces of "firing indiscriminately" at civilian buildings and residences. According to Russian authorities, fighting occurred in various villages on Russian territory on Tuesday, followed by Ukrainian air attacks that reportedly killed three civilians and continued into the night. Moscow claimed that 24 people, including six children, were wounded due to Ukrainian shelling in the border region.

 

Local authorities in Kursk issued multiple air alerts, urging residents to limit their movements and canceling all public events. Footage verified by the BBC showed fighter jets flying low over the region on Tuesday, with smoke rising from the ground. In the neighboring Belgorod region, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov also issued missile attack warnings throughout the day, reporting injuries from Ukrainian air attacks. On Wednesday, the head of Ukraine's Sumy region, Volodymyr Artyukh, ordered the evacuation of areas bordering the Kursk region.

 

A Ukrainian military colonel, Vladislav Seleznyov, described the attack as "preventative," citing an estimated 75,000 Russian troops gathering near the border. Following a major Russian incursion into the northeastern Kharkiv region in May, there had been concerns about a similar move into the Sumy region. With Ukrainian forces now apparently capturing several settlements and highways in the opposite direction, these Russian ambitions may be thwarted for the time being.

 

However, some military analysts are questioning the wisdom of such cross-border raids given Ukraine's already overstretched and outnumbered forces. This is not the first instance of Ukrainian-based fighters crossing into Russia. Last year, anti-Kremlin groups launched raids that were repelled. These forces crossed into the Belgorod and Kursk regions again in March, engaging in clashes with Russian security forces.

 

The question arises: Why has Ukraine launched this cross-border attack on Russia? One of Ukraine’s significant battlefield challenges is manpower, as Russia has more soldiers and is advancing closer to the eastern Ukrainian town of Pokrovsk. Deploying hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers into Russia might seem counterintuitive to some military experts. However, war expert Kostyantyn Mashovets suggested in a Facebook post that the move was part of a "clear plan." Military analyst Mykhaylo Zhyrokhov noted that Russia had to redeploy some troops from the front lines in eastern Ukraine, indicating a strategic advantage for Ukraine.

 

This incursion is unlikely to signify an attempt by Ukraine to occupy Russian territory, but it appears to be succeeding in its goal of drawing Russian forces away from other fronts. Recent history also plays a role; Russia’s major cross-border offensive into Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region has seen its momentum slow, especially after the US permitted Ukraine to target locations inside Russia. Ukrainian concerns about a similar attack into the northern Sumy region have been growing.

 

Given Western apprehensions about the war escalating, it's plausible that some form of permission was granted for an operation of this scale on Russian soil. Most senior Ukrainian officials have remained tight-lipped about the attack. The president's office has refrained from commenting. While there have been previous incursions, this marks the first time regular Ukrainian forces have been deployed in such a manner.

 

Across the border, Russian military channels quickly reported the assault, involving hundreds of troops and several rocket and drone attacks. Local officials promptly announced casualties and evacuations, and neighboring regions offered support to those displaced. A state of emergency was declared in the area. Russia’s Defense Ministry admitted to redeploying troops towards Sudzha. President Putin, publicly briefed by his security chiefs, described the attack as "barbaric" and "terrorist," reflecting Russia’s shock at this unexpected development in the conflict.

 

Until this incident, Russia had been steadily capturing territory, outnumbering Ukrainian forces. Now, it faces a new challenge. The Kremlin is using the assault as further justification for its continued war effort, which it still frames as "defensive." Military analyst Mykhaylo Zhyrokhov suggests that for Ukraine, if this operation stalls or prevents a major Russian attack in its north, it will be seen as a success. President Zelensky echoed this sentiment, stating, "The more pressure is exerted on the aggressor that brought the war to Ukraine, the closer peace will be." He concluded with a call for "just peace through just force."

 

Credit: BBC  2024-08-08

 

 

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[TedG]

Is Putin opposed to Ukraine's special operation?

[kwonitoy]

 

Excellent, open up another front for them to defend against

[Elkski]

Great news.  Ukraine controls the gas distribution center and are going for the NPP.   Then they can shut off the power to a large part of industry.   Russia has to pull troops from somewhere.   F16 are at the ready.  The Crimea bridge will be falling in August.  

[thaibeachlovers]

Unless the Ukrainians can magic up enough troops to protect the incursion from being enveloped, seems to me that they are at risk of being cut off from retreat, and thus, once the supplies run out have to surrender.

 

One also wonders if it was worth it when they are so short manned along the entire border?

 

Perhaps this is a diversion, and the real action is going to happen elsewhere. Wouldn't be the first time that happened, but it usually means an unhappy fate for those in the diversion.

[thaibeachlovers]

6 hours ago, kwonitoy said:

 

Excellent, open up another front for them to defend against

Before getting too excited, it has happened before that the lightning advance goes too fast for the supply chain to keep up, and the "lightning advance" grinds to a halt. Battle of the Bulge, anyone?

[ballpoint]

Some nice dashcam footage at the start.

 

 

This one includes the bleeped out "commentary" of the car driver...

 

[Elkski]

Telegram is where we get uncensored info on the war.   It is a bold move.  Several countries including the US have said Ukraine is a sovereign country and it's their right to attack the aggressors in their country.   Strikers and I hope to soon  see a Javelin tank kill on Russian soil.   

[Elkski]

Airfield at Lipetsk, Russia near the incursion has had massive and successful UAV strike.  Many fires. Lots of secondary explosions of several sizes.  Fires blazing over a wide expanse.    Video is posted on several early morning telegram chats.   Here is a post for you non telegram folks.  https://eadaily.com/en/news/2024/08/09/lipetsk-was-subjected-to-a-massive-drone-attack

Edited August 9 by Elkski

[Elkski]

Ukraine, powered by Western arms, stuns Russia in cross-border assault
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/08/08/ukraine-kursk-russia-occupied-war/

[Elkski]

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russias-lipetsk-region-comes-under-massive-drone-attack-governor-says-2024-08-09/

[Elkski]