Ukraine has announced on Tuesday (August 13) that it has taken control of 74 settlements in the Russian-occupied Kursk region and continues to advance, with Ukrainian forces moving forward one to three kilometers in the past 24 hours.
Last week, Ukraine launched a sudden counteroffensive in the western Kursk region of Russia, leading to the capture of multiple Russian prisoners of war.
“Despite the tough and intense battles, our army continues to advance in the Kursk region, with an increasing number of settlements falling under Ukrainian control,” said Ukrainian President Zelensky.
“We are continuing preparations for our next steps,” he added, without providing details.
Meanwhile, Russian Major General Apti Alaudinov stated that Ukrainian forces have ceased their attacks. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed to have repelled attacks on villages roughly 26-28 kilometers (16-17 miles) from the border.
Reuters has been unable to independently verify the situation on the battlefield.
Kursk region’s Governor Alexei Smirnov urged residents to remain patient and act with personal dignity.
He mentioned on Monday that Ukrainian forces had seized control of 28 settlements in an operation covering approximately 12 kilometers deep and 40 kilometers wide.
While Russia and Ukraine have differing estimates on the number of settlements controlled, Russia has surprisingly acknowledged a significant setback after over 29 months of war.
Russian President Putin has vowed to respond to Ukraine’s actions.
In recent months, Russian forces have been attempting to advance on multiple fronts in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, steadily moving towards cities like Pokrovsk, a logistical hub controlled by Kyiv.
Currently, Russia has intensified attacks on the eastern front in Ukraine. Ukrainian military officials reported on Tuesday that it marked the highest number of engagements with Russian forces in a single day on the Pokrovsk frontline since the Russian invasion.
Ukrainian military spokesman Dmytro Lykhoviy told Reuters that they observed Russian troops being redeployed from southern Ukraine to other areas, possibly including Kursk. However, he noted that the frequency of attacks has not decreased, indicating that it is premature to draw conclusions at this stage.
According to Reuters, Pasi Paroinen, an analyst with Black Bird Group, stated that Russia has primarily relied on nearby military units to try and push back Ukrainian forces.
“Russia should have enough reserve forces so they don’t have to weaken the core forces currently putting pressure on the Ukrainian defenses near Torez and Pokrovsk,” he said.