Ukrainian troops have made advances in the Kursk region, according to reports following accounts that Moscow was starting to succeed in counterattacking Kyiv’s push into Russian territory, as maps show the latest state of play.
Ukraine’s surprise move across the lightly defended frontier of Kursk on August 6 led to rapid gains, and Kyiv claimed to have captured around 500 square miles of territory. But it raised concerns that it was impacting operations in the Donetsk oblast where Russia made advances, particularly toward the logistics hub of Pokrovsk.
While slow to respond, Russia’s forces have countered by attacking the left flank of Ukraine’s advance and are reportedly recapturing villages, although information is fragmentary and relies on military bloggers and Ukrainian sources.
This illustrative image shows Ukrainian soldiers training in southern England, on August 22, 2024. Ukraine has made further advances in its incursion into Russia’s Kursk region on September 15, 2024, it has been reported.
JUSTIN TALLIS/Getty Images
This map by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) from September 15, 2024 shows the state of play in Russia’s Kursk region.
Institute for the Study of War
Open-source intelligence (OSINT) X account Intelschizo posted on Sunday that over the last week, Moscow had gained eight square miles toward Snagost and toward Glushkovo, Russia had lost 73 square miles.
But the pro-Ukrainian X account (((Tendar))) which provides updates on the war noted how Russian Telegram channels said that Kyiv’s forces had taken the village of Veseloe, based on video footage and wrote that there was little evidence to back up claims that Russia had made gains in Kursk.
“It brings Ukrainian forces in close range with Glushkovo and threatens to split this pocket south of the Seym river to be split in two,” the X post said.
“Even worse for Russians, it is an assault into Russia’s rear of their ongoing counteroffensive, whose results are murky at best.”
The post suggested that Ukraine had intended for Russia to commit resources to Kursk which may also expose their artillery positions. “Ukrainians now know what the Russian tactical intents are,” (((Tendar))) said. “they in return can now effectively counter them.”
Meanwhile, pro-Russian sources claimed that over the weekend, Ukrainian forces continued attacks within and near Lyubimovka, which is southeast of Korenevo and near Malaya Loknya, to the north of Sudzha.
The ISW‘s map shows that geolocated footage indicates how Russian forces have advanced east of Oktyabr, which is south of Korenevo and marginally advanced west of Lyubimovka.
“Ukrainian forces reportedly advanced in Glushkovsky Raion, Kursk Oblast, and Russian forces reportedly recently recaptured territory in the area as of September 15,” the Washington, D.C. think tank said.
Last week, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said that around 35,000 Russian troops were now stationed in Kursk and this number could double although he insisted “our heroic soldiers are holding on.”
Meanwhile, the U.S. has assessed that Russia would need up to 20 brigades—50,000 troops—to expel Ukrainian forces from Kursk, but Defense Department spokesman Major Gen. Pat Ryder said Thursday that Moscow’s actions in the region so far were “marginal.”
Newsweek has contacted the Russian and Ukrainian defense ministries for comment.
