Frontline report: Russia initiates POW exchange talks after Ukraine captures 2,000+ Russian soldiers in Kursk Oblast

19 August 2024. Today there are a lot of updates from the Kursk direction.

The most interesting news comes from the area of Korenevo.

The Ukrainians successfully advanced around the town, achieving an operational encirclement and capturing hundreds of Russian soldiers in the process. The situation with the prisoners became so critical that Russian officials requested negotiations for an exchange, aiming to recover over 2,000 newly captured Russian soldiers, most of whom were conscripts.

Ukrainian forces reached Korenevo several days ago, where the Russian command has concentrated most of their combat-ready troops in the region. Russian fighters predominantly concentrate in larger regional towns to defend against major Ukrainian assaults. However, due to their focus on protecting these larger cities, many villages and open areas remain unprotected, with most forces assigned to defend just Korenevo. This has allowed Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups, along with larger mobile mechanized units, to advance through smaller villages surrounding Korenevo, effectively bypassing the Russian stronghold. In this way, the Ukrainians significantly expanded their advance toward Korenevo, capturing the villages of Olgovka, Matvyevka, and Zhuravli to the north of the town. Additionally, Ukrainian forces seized control of Krasnooktyabrske and Komarovka to the south.

This expansion of Ukrainian-controlled territory on the flanks of Korenevo could lead to the encirclement of the Russian garrison, potentially forcing them into a withdrawal or mass surrender, as Russian defenses outside the town are minimal.

To disrupt Russian logistics and capture as many Russian soldiers as possible, elite fighters from the Ukrainian 82nd Assault Brigade and Special Forces Operators ambush Russian convoys on key supply routes. Combat footage released by the 82nd Assault Brigade shows a small Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group ambushing and destroying a convoy of three Russian supply trucks, armed only with small arms.

Ukrainian paratroopers ambushing Russian military vehiclespic.twitter.com/MHzTCY6hvY

— English Luhansk (@loogunda) August 17, 2024

The group also managed to capture several Russian soldiers who were part of the convoy. Following the ambush, part of the Ukrainian unit withdrew to a nearby forest to change positions and prepare for a new ambush, while the main force remained to recover the wounded Russians and secure captured equipment. The original, uncensored combat footage of all Ukrainian ambushes and prisoner captures can be found on Reporting From Ukraine’s Telegram channel.

Before the Kursk incursion, the largest recent surrender of Russian troops occurred when 102 soldiers were captured by the Special Forces of the Security Service of Ukraine. Ukrainian Special Forces Operators uncovered a hidden underground bunker stocked with large quantities of ammunition and supplies, guarded by over a hundred Russian troops. Caught completely off guard and unprepared for battle, the Russian garrison decided to surrender. Among the captured prisoners were members of the more professional Chechen Akhmat fighters.

And some more pic.twitter.com/DHkOmUXBMd

— English Luhansk (@loogunda) August 17, 2024

It’s likely that the Security Service of Ukraine, a highly capable intelligence agency, leveraged its extensive network of agents and informants to locate and infiltrate the bunker, leading to one of the largest single surrenders of Russian forces in the entire war.

And even more, footage showing Russian POWs in Kursk Oblast emerged towards the evening.

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