Russia still facing major Ukrainian incursion

Russian forces faced a major incursion by Ukrainian troops into the region on Thursday for the third consecutive day. Kursk border region, an unexpected setback for Russia whose army was at his advantage so far on the front.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has assured that Russia must “feel” the consequences of the assault it launched against his country in February 2022, without directly mentioning this operation on which kyiv has maintained almost total silence.

His advisor Mykhailo Podoliak has also affirmed that this surprise offensive is a consequence of Russian “aggression” in Ukraine, without clearly attributing it to Kiev's forces.

“From now on, a large part of the international community considers Russia a legitimate target for operations of any type and with any weapon,” he added, while many Western countries have banned Ukraine from using the weapons they supply to strike Russian territory.

The day before, on Ukrainian television, Mr. Podoliak had judged that, in order to obtain something from Moscow at “the negotiating table”, the conflict should not follow “the scenario” established by the Russians.

Photograph distributed by the governor of the Kursk region, Alexei Smirnov, on his Telegram account, showing a damaged house on August 6, 2024 in Sudzha, Russia © Governor of Kursk Region – –

Ukrainian troops attacked Russian territory on Tuesday with a thousand soldiers and dozens of tanks and armored vehicles, according to the Russian general staff, which says it is doing everything to push them out of Russia.

“The operation to destroy the formations of the Ukrainian army continues,” the Russian Defense Ministry said on Thursday, ensuring that they were prevented from “deeply penetrating” into the region.

He published videos filmed by drones showing, according to him, the destruction of Ukrainian soldiers and vehicles which entered the Kursk region.

– Gas station –

While official Russian communication is intended to be reassuring – with regional authorities still referring to a “stable and under control” situation on Thursday – the picture painted by military experts is more alarming.

Ukrainian incursion into the Russian region of Kursk © AFP – Valentin RAKOVSKY, Sabrina BLANCHARD, Sylvie HUSSON

The US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) estimated in its latest report that the Ukrainians had advanced up to ten kilometers deep and crossed “at least two Russian defense lines.”

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According to several analysts, the Ukrainian soldiers reached Sudja, a Russian town of about 5,500 people located about ten kilometers from the border and which is home to a gas hub still supplying Europe via Ukraine.

On Thursday, the Telegram channel Rybar, close to the Russian army, claimed that Sudja was “practically under the control” of the Ukrainian forces and that the Russian army was no longer present except at a roundabout.

According to the source, the Ukrainians have also advanced towards the town of Korenevo, more than 25 kilometres from the border, and fighting is still ongoing in localities in this sector.

Rybar points out that, unlike previous incursions into Russia, claimed by paramilitary groups allied with Kiev, this one is being carried out entirely by the regular Ukrainian army.

Telegram channels of Ukrainian military observers have broadcast unverified drone footage of what are said to be Russian soldiers surrendering.

On Wednesday, Vladimir Putin appeared visibly angry on Russian television, denouncing a “large-scale provocation” by Ukraine and accusing it of indiscriminately striking buildings civilians.

– 3,000 people evacuated –

Although the extent of the Ukrainian military's advance is unclear, the giant Gazprom assured on Thursday that it would continue to deliver its gas via Sudja daily, as usual.

This gas then transits through Ukraine, notably to Slovakia and Hungary, whose Prime Minister Viktor Orban is well-disposed towards Vladimir Putin.

Furthermore, the authorities of the Kursk region affirmed on Thursday that they had been targeted by a computer attack that had rendered “numerous services” “temporarily unavailable”.

On Wednesday, they had declared a state of emergency and stated that at least five civilians had died and 31 had been injured, including children. About 3,000 people have already been evacuated.

Ukraine: positions of military forces © AFP – Valentin RAKOVSKY, Sophie RAMIS, Cléa PECULIER

In the neighboring Russian region of Belgorod, two people were killed and another injured Thursday in Ukrainian strikes, according to the governor.

On the Ukrainian side, according to the authorities, at least five civilians died Thursday in Russian bombings, including two in the region of Sumy (north) which faces the Russian region of Kursk.

In kyiv, Ukrainians interviewed by AFP on Thursday expressed their enthusiasm for this incursion into Russian territory.

“Let's make Muscovites understand what war is,” said Volodymyr Borodyansky, an employee in the tourism sector.

The Ukrainian incursion into Russia comes at a time when the Russian army has been on the offensive for several months at various points along the front, particularly in the eastern region of Donetsk.

In mid-May, the Russian military also launched an offensive in the Ukrainian region of Kharkiv (northeast), which was halted in the city ​​of Vovchansk by kyiv, which nevertheless had to send precious resources there.

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