Ukrainian Forces Breach Russian Border Sparking Intense Conflicts
MOSCOW—Russia announced on Wednesday that it was engaged in intense battles against Ukrainian forces who had crossed into Russia’s Kursk region, marking one of the largest infiltrations into Russia since the start of the Ukraine war in February 2022.
Following Ukraine’s failed counteroffensive in 2023, Russia has made significant advancements this year, seizing 420 square kilometres (162 square miles) of territory from Ukrainian forces since June 14, according to Sergei Shoigu, head of Russia’s security council.
On Tuesday, Ukraine retaliated, leading to ongoing battles that extended into Wednesday as Ukrainian forces pushed northwest of the border town of Sudzha, located 530 km (330 miles) southwest of Moscow, as reported by Russia’s defence ministry.
The defence ministry confirmed the continuation of clashes with Ukrainian units in the Kursk region directly bordering Russia and Ukraine.
“Air strikes, missile attacks, artillery fire, and active operations by troops near the Russian-Ukrainian border in the Kursk direction have thwarted the enemy’s advancement deep into Russian territory,” the statement read.
The conflict persists, with the destruction of 50 armoured vehicles, including tanks, armoured personnel carriers, infantry fighting vehicles, and armoured combat vehicles in the area.
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Sudzha represents the final operational hub for Russian gas exports to Europe through Ukraine. The Kursk nuclear power station lies just 60 km northeast of Sudzha.
There has been no official response from Ukraine regarding the ongoing events, while Russia has deployed reserves to bolster its defences.
The battles around Sudzha come at a critical phase in the conflict as Ukraine faces territorial losses.
Shoigu stressed on Tuesday that the window for peace was closing, and a delay in Kyiv initiating peace talks would incur greater costs on the Ukrainian population.
Battle of Kursk
Russian military bloggers have reported intense combat situations.
“The fighting will be fierce,” noted Yuri Podolyaka, a prominent Ukrainian-born pro-Russian military blogger. “It’s expected to be a prolonged conflict.”
“Even if the enemy doesn’t break through (with no guarantees), there will be artillery and drone attacks in large numbers,” Podolyaka added.
Alexei Smirnov, the acting governor of the Kursk region, mentioned rocket and drone assaults overnight, advising civilians to seek shelter away from windows.
Due to the border region’s situation, medical facilities are replenishing blood supplies, with a mobile blood donation center being set up in Kursk, the site of the largest land battle in World War Two.
Smirnov also reported that a Ukrainian attack drone had struck an ambulance outside the town, resulting in casualties.
Furthermore, a senior Orthodox clergyman stated that Ukrainian shelling ignited a fire at a cathedral and other structures within a monastery near Sudzha, though no injuries were reported.
Volunteer paramilitary forces claiming to fight alongside Ukraine have infiltrated parts of the Belgorod and Kursk regions this year, prompting a significant Russian troop response to establish a buffer zone in Ukraine’s northeast.
