On Wednesday, Russian officials stated that Ukrainian forces launched a large-scale cross-border attack on the Russian city of Kursk. The battle is still intensifying. Ukraine has not commented on the situation, but if confirmed, this would be the largest cross-border attack launched by Ukraine since the full-scale Russian invasion, marking a significant escalation in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, Ukrainian troops began directly attacking Kursk on Tuesday night, using artillery, aircraft, and drones to assault the region, which borders Sumy in northeastern Ukraine.
The Russian military claimed to have repelled the attack, destroying 50 armored vehicles and causing up to 260 Ukrainian soldiers to lose their lives.
The acting governor of Kursk, Alexei Smirnov, stated on Telegram that the region has been bravely resisting Ukrainian attacks in the past 24 hours. He added that all emergency services are on high alert and urged residents to donate blood due to the fierce fighting.
Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, reported that the Ukrainian shelling resulted in at least two deaths and 24 injuries, including a medical worker and an ambulance driver.
Smirnov mentioned that authorities have evacuated over two hundred people from the shelled areas, with several thousand others leaving in their own vehicles.
Smirnov also revealed that Russian President Vladimir Putin is holding an emergency meeting regarding the attack.
According to Reuters, Putin accused Ukrainian forces of indiscriminately firing at civilian targets in Kursk and stated that Kiev is engaging in “large-scale provocations.”
The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that the battle continued through the night into Wednesday, with Ukrainian forces advancing to the northwestern part of the town of Sudzha, 330 miles southwest of Moscow.
Ukrainian officials have not publicly commented on the situation. If confirmed, this would be the largest cross-border attack launched by Ukraine since the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022, signifying a significant strategic shift for Ukraine.
Currently, Ukrainian forces are striving to defend critical territory in the eastern front. Analysts suggest that Kiev’s objective might be to draw Russian reserve forces towards Kursk, potentially weakening Russian advances in several areas of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine.
The United States has been working to prevent further escalation of the conflict. At its urging, Ukraine has refrained from sending troops directly into Russia or using American or allied weaponry to attack Russian territory.