Ukrainian forces advance 22 miles into Russian territory
Ukrainian forces have moved into Russian territory, reaching locations several dozen miles from the border. This information comes from the latest report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), which relies on data provided by Russian bloggers monitoring the conflict in real time.
8:19 AM EDT, August 9, 2024
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), an American think tank specializing in analyzing armed conflicts, stated in its latest report that Ukrainian forces have managed to penetrate the Kursk region, reaching up to 22 miles into Russian territory. According to ISW, this information is based on geolocation data and accounts from Russian bloggers who focus on military topics.
According to reports from Russian commentators, Ukrainian forces have reached locations such as Kromskije Byki and Molutino, which are 22 miles from the border with the Ukrainian Sumy region and 11 miles from the Russian city of Lgov, respectively. However, it's worth noting that according to the same sources, these are only small groups of soldiers who do not plan to hold the captured areas.
They penetrated as far as 22 miles into Russia. Ukraine struck at the enemy
Information about the situation in Sudzha, located about 6 miles from the border, is conflicting. Some Russian military bloggers claim that Ukrainian forces have completely taken over the city, while others report that they control only part of it.
Geolocation data from Thursday suggests that Ukrainian forces have likely reached the village of Russkoye Porechnoye, located north of Sudzha. Meanwhile, Russian military bloggers report that Ukrainian units have advanced even further north, along route 38K-024, reaching the vicinity of the village of Anastasyevka.
Additionally, based on geolocation data, it appears that on Wednesday and Thursday, Ukrainian forces were active in Goncharovka, west of Sudzha. One Russian military blogger claims that Ukrainian soldiers occupied this locality. Other online sources also report the presence of Ukrainian armed forces in various parts of the Kursk region.
The ISW report states: "Ukrainian forces appear to be able to use these small armored groups to conduct assaults past the engagement line due to the low density of Russian personnel in the border areas of Kursk Oblast. Larger Ukrainian units are reportedly operating in areas of Kursk Oblast closer to the international border and are reportedly consolidating and fortifying some positions."
ISW emphasizes that, according to the assessment of Russian military bloggers, Ukrainian forces are effectively using innovative tactics and technology during operations in the Kursk region. The Institute did not provide further details on this matter due to the operational security of the Ukrainian forces.
ISW predicts that the Kremlin will likely attempt to reclaim the Kursk region territory seized by Ukrainian forces and prevent their further advance into Russia. According to the Institute, "Substantial Ukrainian advances within Russia would be a strategic blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin."
