Border breach in Kursk region: Week-long fighting leaves territory out of Russian control, battle maps
Photo: Fighting in the Kursk region has been going on for a week (Getty Images)
The area of fighting in the Kursk region continues to expand. Almost a thousand square kilometers of Russian territory are under the control of Ukraine. Analysts say that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are advancing despite recent Russian claims on stabilization of the frontline.
Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) say that the Ukrainian Armed Forces may have made new penetrations into the western part of the Kursk region near the settlements of Slobodka-Ivanovka (northwest of Sumy and 2 kilometers from the international border), Tyotkino (south of Slobodka-Ivanovka along the international border), Gordeyevka, Uspenka and Viktorovka (all north of Sumy along the international border and south of Korenevo).
Russian sources claim that they no longer control Slobodka-Ivanovka, Uspenovka, and Viktorovka. According to them, fighting continues near Snagost (south of Korenevo) and Kremyanoe (east of Snagost), and Ukrainian forces are attacking north and south of Korenevo in an attempt to bypass the settlement.
Photo: The district center of Sudzha is probably under the control of the Ukrainian Armed Forces (understandingwar.org)
Based on geolocation footage, ISW analysts point to the Ukrainian Armed Forces advancing within the village of Kremyanoe and east of the village of Zhuravli (northeast of Korenevo). Pro-Russian military reporters say that Ukrainian forces have also advanced north of Zhuravli towards the village of Obshchy Kolodez (northeast of Korenevo and 30 kilometers from the international border).
Ukrainian forces also recently advanced in the forested area north and east of Semenovka (south of Lgov and approximately 24 kilometers from the international border) in a battalion-sized mechanized assault toward the village of Kauchuk (south of Lgov and 27 kilometers from the international border). Analysts note the exact contours of Ukraine's advance are unclear.
Photo: The area of fighting in the Kursk region has exceeded 1,000 sq. km(t.me/agentstvonews)
Geolocation footage may also indicate that Ukrainian troops have recently operated in Sudzha (although Russian military propagandists claim that Ukrainian troops captured this town, as well as the village of Spalnoe) and in the village of Zaoleshenka.
Ukrainian equipment could also have been operating in the northern part of Giri (southeast of Sudzha and 13 kilometers from the international border), at least temporarily moving into the village.
The Russian ministry of defense reported attacks near the village of Borki (southeast of Sudzha). Videos from the web indicate that Ukrainian forces have begun to move into Darino (northwest of Sudzha and three kilometers from the international border).
Photo: Approximate battle zones as of August 12 from the interactive map of Radio Liberty (svoboda.org)
The Russian media outlet Agentstvo calls the village of Kromskiye Byki (30 kilometers from the border) the farthest point from the border where the fighting is taking place. They say that the Ukrainian military is trying to gain a foothold on the outskirts of this village.
The westernmost point of hostilities is the village of Snagost (11 km from the border). There was fighting near the village in the evening. The Russians claim that the village of Viktorovka, located south of Snagost, is allegedly under the control of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
According to the Russians, the easternmost point of fighting in the Kursk region is the village of Giri.
The fighting has recently expanded beyond the Kursk region, as Russian military reporters claimed that the Ukrainian Armed Forces “invaded across the border” with the support of armored vehicles from the Sumy region in the Belgorod region, namely northwest of Gayvoron, near Kolotilovka and Prilese, and near Bezymyannoe.
Background
The fighting in the Kursk region has been going on since August 6, 2024. Yesterday, Ukraine officially confirmed its participation in the operation. Armed Forces chief Oleksandr Syrskyi reported to president Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Ukrainian troops already control approximately 1,000 square kilometers. The Ukrainian authorities did not specify which settlements were under the control of the Armed Forces.
Local authorities in Russia say they do not currently control 28 settlements in the region. Analysts of the DeepState project say the number is almost twice as high. Presumably, there are about 44 such settlements.
According to the ISW, the Kursk offensive is a key moment in the war that could change its trajectory. Analysts believe that the Ukrainian Armed Forces can take advantage of the fact that the Russian armed forces have been attacking almost the entire front line for months, rather than building large fortifications in the rear.
The US senators who visited Kyiv praised Ukraine for the operation in the Russian region, calling the breakthrough towards Kursk historic.
RBC-Ukraine collected videos of the Ukrainian Armed Forces from the Kursk region.
We also wrote about possible response Russia may be preparing.
Sources: the report and maps of the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW), the Telegram channel Agentstvo, Radio Liberty, and other data from open sources.
