Ukraine has already advanced 30 km inside Russia, while the Russian army is constructing a new defense line 60 km from border
Russian Ministry of Defense admitted that fighting took place 30 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, while geolocated videos confirm the advances.
Ukrainian troops have advanced up to 30 kilometers into Russia’s Kursk region, marking the deepest incursion into Russian territory since the full-scale war began in February 2022. The operation, now in its sixth day, involves thousands of Ukrainian troops, according to senior Ukrainian officials cited by BBC.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has acknowledged the attack, saying it is an effort to squeeze the war out from Ukraine into the territory of the aggressor.
Russian Ministry of Defense reported engaging Ukrainian forces near villages deep within Russian territory, including Tolpino and Obshchy Kolodez, which are 25 and 30 kilometers away from the border of Ukraine.
Satellite imagery analyzed by BBC reveals that Russia is constructing new defensive lines near the Kursk nuclear power plant. The nearest trench line is approximately 8 kilometers from the facility and nearly 60 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. This development underscores the strategic implications of the Ukrainian advance and Russia’s efforts to bolster its defenses in the region.
This offensive comes at a time when Russian forces have been making advances in eastern Ukraine. Analysts suggest that the Kursk operation may be an attempt to force Russia to redeploy troops, potentially relieving pressure on beleaguered Ukrainian defenses in the east.
Related:
- Kyiv sees no evidence of Belarusian troop buildup on border
- Russia dropped over 800 aerial bombs on Ukraine in one week, says Zelenskyy
- Missile debris in the Kyiv region claim lives of a man and his little son
- Bloomberg: Kursk incursion undermines Putin’s authority, strengthens Ukraine’s position
- Ukrainian troops launch successful counteroffensive in Donetsk’s Niu-York
- Kursk incursion: why is Ukraine taking the war to Russian soil?
- Satellite images confirm strikes on Kursk aviation and artillery warehouses prior to incursion
- Ukraine’s surprise Kursk incursion: lifting spirits or stretching resources?
- Forbes: Ukraine’s elite air assault brigade joins ongoing incursion into Russia’s Kursk Oblast
- Unverified video claims new Ukrainian incursion into Russia’s Belgorod Oblast
You could close this page. Or you could join our community and help us produce more materials like this.
We keep our reporting open and accessible to everyone because we believe in the power of free information. This is why our small, cost-effective team depends on the support of readers like you to bring deliver timely news, quality analysis, and on-the-ground reports about Russia's war against Ukraine and Ukraine's struggle to build a democratic society.
A little bit goes a long way: for as little as the cost of one cup of coffee a month, you can help build bridges between Ukraine and the rest of the world, plus become a co-creator and vote for topics we should cover next. Become a patron or see other ways to support.
