Russians face tough choices in defending Kursk amid Ukrainian push
The Russians do not want to divert forces to the Kursk Oblast in order not to weaken their position on the front line, according to the Institute for the Study of War. For now, the command relies on units already deployed in the border zone.
"It appears that the Russian military command relies on existing units deployed in the border zone and readily available forces in the rear, most of which are units manned by conscripts and irregular formations to counter the situation in the Kursk Oblast," the Institute for the Study of War reported.
"The Russian military command may currently be resisting pressure to redeploy forces from other operational directions to prevent disrupting Russian offensive operations in eastern Ukraine," it added.
In response to the Ukrainian offensive in the border regions of Russia, Moscow has deployed forces from unspecified operational reserves. Units with conscripts and special forces, including the Chechen Akhmat unit, former mercenaries from the Wagner Group, and the 1st Corps of the Donetsk People's Republic Army, have been sent to the region.
A difficult decision for the command
"The Russian military command might transfer more experienced and better-equipped frontline units from eastern or southern Ukraine to the Kursk Oblast, but it will likely take a considerable amount of time for such units to reach the Kursk Oblast," the ISW reported.
However, the Institute notes that, according to one of the "milbloggers," that is, war bloggers, units of the 44th Army Corps from the Leningrad Military District are operating near Rylsk in the Kursk Oblast. The soldiers were involved in an operation in the Kharkiv Oblast. According to the command, this may indicate that interrupting the operation is a "necessary sacrifice" to defend the Kursk Oblast.
The Ukrainian operation in border regions with Russia has been ongoing for several days. Although Russian authorities and services insist that "the situation is under control," and have several times announced that the Ukrainians had withdrawn, the forces loyal to Kyiv continue to report further actions.
In response to the operation, Moscow introduced the so-called counter-terrorism operation regime in the Kursk, Belgorod, and Bryansk Oblasts.
