In the Kursk region, Ukrainian forces made an incursion into the Russian territory near the border. Fighting has been going on there for several days, and reports are conflicting.
Ukrainian forces advanced into the Russian Kursk region – military analysts
Experts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), having analyzed the data collected, confirm the advance of allegedly Ukrainian troops up to 10 kilometers deep into the Russian Kursk region.
“On August 7, Ukrainian troops advanced up to 10 kilometers deep into the Kursk region of Russia amid ongoing mechanized offensives on Russian territory. Geolocated footage published on August 6 and 7 shows that Ukrainian armored vehicles have advanced to positions along the 38K-030 route about 10 kilometers from the international border,” the report reads.
The DeepState military analytical project published photos of allegedly destroyed Russian equipment in the Kursk region. Various videos were published in Telegram channels showing burned tanks in the Kursk region.
The scale and location of the Ukrainian advance in the Kursk region are currently confirmed, indicating that Ukrainian troops have allegedly penetrated at least two Russian defense lines and a stronghold.
“The Kremlin’s reaction to the Ukrainian offensive in the Kursk region has been contradictory so far, as Russian officials struggle to find a balance between presenting the effort as a marked escalation by Ukraine and avoiding exaggerating its potential consequences and risking domestic discontent,” the report says.
Putin called it ‘a provocation’
Some Russian “military” bloggers have sharply criticized Russia’s military command for failing to detect and prevent preparations for Ukraine’s offensive operations in the Kursk region.
Earlier, Russian ruler Vladimir Putin called the situation in the Kursk region a “provocation.” [https://ria.ru/20240807/putin–1964649472.html]
US sees irony in Kremlin’s statement on Ukraine’s incursion into Russia
US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller pointed out the irony of Russian president Vladimir Putin’s statement that the current events in the Kursk region are “provocation” by Ukraine.
Miller confirmed that the United States is “in touch with the Ukrainians” about the events in the Kursk region but will not comment on them instead of the Ukrainian side.
“I have received the message from the Russian authorities. It’s a bit rich coming from them. Given that Russia has violated the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine since 2014, calling it a provocation seems appropriate,” he stated.
The State Department spokesperson added that the decision on how Ukraine conducts its military operations is “up to Ukraine,” while the US policy on strikes on Russian territory with Western weapons has not changed.
Kursk region declared a state of emergency
The Russian Federation’s Kursk region declared a state of emergency the second day after the border breakthrough by the Ukrainian forces. [https://t.me/gubernator_46/7288]
The acting governor of the Russian region, Alexei Smirnov, noted that “a difficult operational situation in the border areas” remains in the Kursk region. To “eliminate the consequences of the entry of hostile forces into the region,” the region introduced a state of emergency, he said.
The Ukrainian military has not yet commented on the situation in the Kursk region of Russia. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported: “The intensity of hostilities in the Sumy sector has increased. The enemy is actively using aviation, helicopters, and heavy weapons. However, it is not successful. It suffers significant losses. Ukrainian soldiers are doing everything possible to protect civilians.”
US reaction: ‘Nothing has changed about our policy’
Earlier, White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby stated:
“Nothing has changed about our policy with respect to enabling or encouraging strikes or attacks inside Russia, outside the bounds, of course, of what we have permitted them to do with U.S.-supplied weapons in the past, which is to target imminent threats just across the border. […] We are reaching out to our Ukrainian counterparts to get a little bit better understanding.”
He added that the most appropriate course of action is to “let the Ukrainians speak to their operations one way or the other.” “So, I’d refer you to the Ukrainian Armed Forces to talk about what they’re doing.We’re going to stay focused on making sure they have what they need to defend themselves, of course,” Kirby said.
However, before the White House’s official website published the full transcript of the press briefing, many media outlets, including Ukrainian ones, disseminated information that Russian propaganda had manipulated and misinterpreted, claiming that the US had demanded an explanation from Kyiv.
Ukraine’s cross-border raid in Russia’s Kursk region
The Ukrainian Armed Forces allegedly attempted to breach the Russian border on August 6, according to the authorities of the Kursk region of the Russian Federation, but faced resistance. Later, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that “the Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group retreated to its territory.”
Espreso TV reported that Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate refused to comment on the statements regarding the Kursk region. The Institute for the Study of War noted that the Russian Defense Ministry, acting governor Alexei Smirnov, and some Russian propagandists have different versions of the events in the Kursk region.
On August 7, Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin convened the Russian military leadership to discuss the situation in the Kursk region, which he called a “large-scale provocation.” At the time, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called on the international community to “strongly condemn the Kyiv regime’s criminal attacks on Russian territory.”
Commenting on the Kursk incursion reports, European Commission spokesperson for foreign policy Peter Stano said that Ukraine has the right to self-defense, including strikes on Russian territory.
