Ukrainian military makes 10 km progress into Russian Kursk region – ISW
Photo: Tipichnyi Kursk / Telegram
According to experts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), who have analyzed geolocation footage, it appears that "Ukrainian armored vehicles" are currently moving towards positions in the Kursk region of Russia, approximately 10 kilometers away from the international border.
ISW reports this.
"Ukrainian forces have made confirmed advances up to 10 kilometers into Russia's Kursk region amid continued mechanized offensive operations on Russian territory on August 7," the report says.
The Institute notes that geolocation footage published on August 6 and 7 shows that "Ukrainian armored vehicles" advanced to positions along route 38K-030, approximately 10 kilometers from the international border.
Over there, they think that the "Ukrainian forces" managed to break through at least two Russian defense lines and a stronghold.
ISW cites information from a Russian "insider source" that "Ukrainian forces" have seized 45 square kilometers of territory in the Kursk region since August 6. Other Russian sources reported that "Ukrainian forces" captured 11 settlements, including Nikolaevo-Daryino, Darino, and Sverdlikovo, and are operating within Lyubimivka (eight kilometers north of the border with the Sumy region).
The Institute also cites data from "Russian sources" that "Ukrainian troops" are trying to advance along highway 38K-030 Sudzha-Korenovo. A Kremlin-linked blogger claimed that by 6:00 p.m. local time on August 7, "Ukrainian troops" had advanced northwest and southeast along the highway, and fighting was now ongoing on the approaches to Korenovo and Sudzha.
Also, a "Russian insider source" and several other Russian sources reported that "Ukrainian forces" seized the Sudzha checkpoint and the Sudzha gas distribution station.
"Geolocated imagery posted on August 7 shows that Ukrainian forces captured over 40 Russian prisoners of war (POWs) at the Sudzha checkpoint," the report reads.
According to Ukrainian military observer Kostiantyn Mashovets, on August 7, an unspecified unit from the Chechen-based 71st Motorized Rifle Regiment (58th Combined Arms Army, Southern Military District) was deployed directly to the Sudzha district. This aligns with previous reports from Ukrainian and Russian sources, as footage on social media indicates that Chechen "Akhmat" units have been present in the Sudzha area for over a week.
It has been reported that these Chechen units sustained significant casualties in attacks by Ukrainian forces in the Korenovo district on August 7.
ISW key findings as of August 7:
- Ukrainian forces have made confirmed advances up to 10 kilometers into Russia's Kursk region amid continued mechanized offensive operations on Russian territory on August 7.
- The Kremlin's response to Ukrainian offensive activities in the Kursk region has been contradictory, as Russian officials are attempting to balance presenting the effort as a notable Ukrainian escalation by avoiding overstating its potential implications and risking domestic discontent.
- Select Russian military bloggers heavily criticized the Russian army command for not detecting preparations for or preventing Ukrainian offensive operations into the Kursk region.
- Ukrainian forces reportedly used a first-person view (FPV) drone to down a Russian Mi-28 helicopter over the Kursk region, indicating that the Ukrainian troops continue to adapt their drone capabilities successfully.
- Ukraine's Main Military Intelligence Directorate (GUR) Head Kyrylo Budanov assessed on August 7 that Russian offensive potential will culminate within one and a half to two months, generally consistent with ISW's assessment of current Russia's offensive capabilities.
- Head of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU), Danielle Bell, stated that Russia has tortured 95 percent of Ukrainian prisoners-of-war (POWs) in Russian detention.
- The Moldovan Central Electoral Commission (CEC) announced on August 7 that it would not register the pro-Kremlin Victory electoral bloc in the October 2024 Moldovan presidential election and referendum.
- A Russian court sentenced Andrey Kurshin, administrator of the "Moscow Calling" Russian ultranationalist military blogger Telegram channel, to six and a half years in prison on August 7 for publishing "fake" information about the Russian military.
- Ukrainian forces recently regained positions south of Chasiv Yar, and Russian troops advanced northeast of Siversk, southwest of Donetsk City, and in the Donetsk-Zaporizhzhia region border area.
- Russian Army Combat Reserve (BARS) units continue recruitment efforts.
The head of the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin, for the first time, commented on the situation in the Kursk region, where the Russian local authorities reported the breakthrough of Ukrainian troops. The dictator of the Russian Federation called it a "large-scale provocation" on the part of Ukraine.
