Maxar satellite images show that Russia has begun building fortifications along main roads south of Lgov in the Kursk region, while its Ministry of Defense has indirectly admitted that Ukrainian forces have advanced two kilometers more in a day. “The new fortifications are located about 17 kilometers north of the furthest Ukrainian advances, suggesting that Russian forces are concerned about the continued rapid Ukrainian advance,” the US-based Institute for the Study of War reports.
Russia is particularly concerned about roads and is probably trying to protect important logistical arteries.analysts point out. Dozens of vacancies for construction workers appeared on local job search portals, but they were quickly deleted, as Russia probably wanted to hide its preparations.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, Ukrainian troops have been spotted in the villages of Varvarovka, Safonovka and Matveevka near Korenevo, meaning that Ukraine has advanced at least two kilometers since the previous report. According to Ukraine, It already controls 82 towns and 1,150 square kilometres of territory in the attacked region, having penetrated up to 35 kilometres. On Thursday, his forces repelled three Russian attacks and advanced between half a kilometer and one and a half kilometers, army commander-in-chief Oleksandr Sirsky told Volodymyr Zelensky.
“We are continuing to advance in Kursk,” the Ukrainian president stressed. General Eduard Moskaliev has been appointed head of the first Ukrainian military office in charge of the occupied territories, “in order to maintain public order and ensure the priority needs of the population,” Sirski also revealed.
On Thursday, Ukrainian Security Service forces captured more than 100 Russian soldiers in Kurskincluding those from the Akhmat special forces unit led by Chechnya’s pro-Putin leader Ramzan Kadyrov. It is the largest such episode in the war so far, Ukraine has said.
“The enemy was not going to surrender, they had more than enough supplies and ammunition,” a military source told Ukrainian media, saying their well-protected position was captured thanks to the professional work of Ukrainian special forces.
Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tetiana Moskalkova has already contacted Ukraine to discuss a possible prisoner exchange, her Ukrainian counterpart Dmitro Lubinets told Ukrainian television. He said Ukraine was treating Russian prisoners well and was focusing primarily on returning the wounded and women from Russian captivity.
No official figure has been given for the number of Russians captured, But military analysts believe that more than 2,000 have been captured so far. Many of them are young conscripts. Their fate may be highly sensitive in Russian society, which could make the Kremlin more open to Ukrainian requests in negotiations on the exchange of prisoners of war. “I don’t know how this situation will end, but the Ukrainian side is always ready for exchanges,” Lubinets said.
The situation in southern and eastern Ukraine remains “complicated,” Oleksandr Sirski said meanwhile. The main effort is focused on limiting Russian advances near Pokrovsk and Torestk in the eastern Donetsk region. According to the DeepState analytical platform, Russia has recently captured Zhelanne and Orlivka, while it has also advanced in Niu-York, Zhuravka and Krasnogorivka.
Reports from there speak of dozens of Russian attacks a day. According to some, as Ukrainian forces are withdrawing, their ability to establish and protect well-fortified positions is limited. Thousands of people contribute to crowdfunding campaigns to fund more drones and anti-drone weapons for their troops, who are also expecting more ammunition from allies abroad. The Ukrainians hope that the Kursk offensive will help relieve Russian pressure on Ukrainian territory.
Limiting Russia’s ability to drop thousands of aerial bombs a month would be a big help, and Ukraine needs more long-range missiles and permission to use them against military targets in Russia, President Volodymyr Zelensky has once again stressed.
British tanks in Russia
Meanwhile, Ukraine has used British Challenger 2 tanks on Russian soil in Kursk, British media report. The BBC has quoted the British Ministry of Defence as saying that, in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter, “Ukraine has a clear right to self-defence, which does not preclude operations on Russian territory” and therefore can use the equipment at its disposal there.
A Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bomber crashed in Russia during a “scheduled flight” due to “technical problems,” the Russian Defense Ministry said Thursday. The plane caught fire in mid-air and its pilots managed to bail out before it went down. Russia is believed to have fewer than 30 Tu-22 aircraft, used to launch missiles against Ukraine, at its disposal.