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Russia Claims to Thwart Ukrainian Incursion in Kursk Region

by DD Desk

August 14, 2024

Russia Claims to Thwart Ukrainian Incursion in Kursk Region

key takeaways

Russia Repels Ukrainian Incursion in Kursk Region

Russian military elements, including air defence, artillery, drone teams, and fresh reserves, have prevented Ukrainian troops from regaining ground close to the communities of Obshchy Kolodez, Snagost, Kauchuk, and Alexeyevsky, according to the Russian ministry of defence.

The move of Russian troops from their Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad to Kursk has been acknowledged, at least partially, by Lithuania's defence minister Laurynas Kasciunas.

But Ukraine argued that it is still moving forward.

According to Oleksandr Syrskyi, the commander of the Ukrainian military, Kyiv currently controls 74 communities in Kursk and has captured a further 15 square kilometres of land in a single day.

"Wars are continuing all the way to the front lines," Mr. Syrskyi stated in a video that was uploaded on Tuesday to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's Telegram channel.

"The situation, despite the high intensity of combat, is under control."

According to foreign ministry spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi, Ukraine is "not interested" in holding territory in Kursk long term.

The aim of the cross-border operation is to protect Ukrainian land from long-range strikes launched from the region, he added.

"We want to protect the lives of our people," Mr Tykhyi was quoted as saying by local media.

He claimed Russia had launched more than 2,000 strikes from Kursk in recent months, using anti-aircraft missiles, artillery, mortars, drones, 255 glide bombs and more than 100 missiles.

Despite Ukraine's incursion being the largest attack on Russia since the Second World War, the United States said it had "nothing to do with this".

White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters aboard Air Force One: "We have no involvement. We'll continue to have conversations with the Ukrainians about their approach, but it is really for them to speak to."

Vladimir Putin has vowed to hit back at Ukraine with a "worthy response" - and has accused Kyiv's "Western masters" of helping Ukraine.

A "generous" peace offer made by Russia to Ukraine in June is "no longer on the table", said Dmitry Polyanskiy, Russia's deputy envoy to the UN.

"This is a step that Ukraine will later regret," he added.