Fierce fighting in Russia's Kursk after Ukrainian forces advance | News

Fierce fighting continues for the second day in a row in Russia's Kursk region after Ukrainian forces breached the border, in one of the largest incursions into Russian territory since the war began in February 2022.

The Russian Ministry of Defense announced today, Wednesday, the continuation of fighting in Kursk, stressing that the Russian army Continues to “destroy the enemy” in areas near the border.

Ukrainian forces advanced northwest of the border town of Sudzha, 530 kilometers southwest of Moscow.

Sudzha is the last point of shipment of Russian gas exports to Europe via UkraineThe Russian Kursk Nuclear Power Plant is located just 60 kilometers northeast of Sudzha.

Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov informed the Russian President Vladimir Putin Today, up to a thousand Ukrainian soldiers are participating in the cross-border incursion in Kursk, stressing that the Ukrainian offensive has been stopped, and the attacking forces are now being destroyed.

On Telegram, the Rebar channel, which has more than a million followers and is close to the Russian military, reported that Ukrainian forces had captured three villages in the Kursk region.

Thousands of civilians have fled the area due to the fighting and shelling, which has left at least 5 dead and 28 wounded among civilians, according to local authorities, who have also cancelled all public events.

In this context, Alexei Smirnov, Governor of Kursk Region, called on residents to donate blood, noting that all relevant agencies and authorities in the region have been placed on high alert.

On the other side of the border, Ukraine announced on Wednesday the mandatory evacuation of about 6,000 people, including 425 children, in the Sumy region adjacent to Russia's Kursk.

Big provocation

In turn, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Ukraine was carrying out a “large-scale provocation,” accusing Ukrainian forces of “indiscriminately firing various types of weapons, including missiles, at civilian buildings, homes and ambulances.”

Putin held a meeting today, Wednesday, with the Russian Minister of Defense. Andrey BelousovSecretary of the Russian Security Council Sergei ShoiguDirector of the Federal Security Service Alexander Bortnikov, and Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov, to discuss the situation in the Kursk region.

Putin ordered to provide all necessary assistance to the Kursk region, which is under Ukrainian attack.

⚡️Putin holds a meeting with Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu, Federal Security Service Chief Alexander Bortnikov, and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov to discuss the situation in Kursk Oblast pic.twitter.com/vW1ggZLu4h

— Sputnik Arabic (@sputnik_ar) August 7, 2024

Ukrainian silence

For its part, the Ukrainian authorities have maintained almost complete silence on the situation in the Kursk region since yesterday, Tuesday.

Ukrainian military expert Sergei Zgorets believes that the Ukrainian army is seeking to distract Russian forces from other areas on the front where they have been advancing in recent months.

“I think one of the goals is that we have to win,” Zgorits told AFP. Kyiv It is to withdraw Russian reserves and reduce the pressure on its army operations in the Gaza Strip. Kharkiv And maybe in other areas.”

The operation comes as Russian troops have been making gradual gains in eastern Ukraine for months, facing a Ukrainian army that lacks new recruits and ammunition.

In May, Russian forces launched a ground offensive in the Kharkiv border region, capturing several positions before being stopped by Ukrainian forces.