Russia transfers military forces to Kursk region from lower priority zones of Ukrainian front – ISW

The Russian military is shifting forces from lower priority regions of the front in Ukraine to the forefront in the Kursk region. Specifically, troops stationed in the Siversky and Kharkiv fronts and the Chasiv Yar area have been relocated there.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reports this.

ISW observed combat operations of the 810th Naval Infantry Brigade, 155th Naval Infantry Brigade, and 11th Airborne Brigade in the Kursk region and saw evidence that the Russian military command had recently redeployed units of the 56th Infantry Regiment from the Robotyne area to the west of the Zaporizhzhia region to the Kursk region.

ISW hasn't received any updates on the 51st Airborne Regiment's combat operations in the Kursk region. Still, the fact that their commander reported to Putin, along with other unit commanders who recently redeployed to the area, implies that the 51st may have also relocated there.

Units of the 51st Airborne Regiment were redeployed to the Kursk region from the Siversky front together with other units of the 106th Airborne Division.

Russia also redeployed units of the 810th and 155th Naval Infantry Brigades from the front line north of the Kharkiv region and probably redeployed units of the 11th Airborne Brigade from the Chasiv Yar area.

The Russian military is resisting plans to move forces away from the critical Pokrovsk front in the Donetsk region. Instead, they are likely to move troops from less urgent areas throughout the Kursk region for defense purposes.

ISW key findings as of August 25:

• Russian military bloggers claimed that Russian forces recently regained lost positions in the Kursk region amid reports of continued Ukrainian attacks in the area on August 25.
• The Russian military likely continues to redeploy forces from lower priority sectors of the frontline in Ukraine to the frontline in the Kursk region.
• French authorities arrested Telegram founder Pavel Durov on August 24, prompting concern among Russian ultranationalist military bloggers about their ability to report freely on the war in Ukraine. However, ISW has not observed any direct evidence indicating that Durov's arrest will affect Telegram operations in the near term.
• Russian military bloggers reacted to Durov's arrest by focusing on how Russian soldiers relied on ad-hoc communications, including Telegram, for organizing operations in Ukraine and called on the Russian military command to establish an adequate official communication system.
• Russian forces recently advanced near and within Toretsk and southwest of Donetsk City.

For reference:
On August 25, President Volodymyr Zelensky noted that the Defense Forces of Ukraine advanced again in the Kursk region of the Russian Federation, took control of two more settlements, and replenished the exchange fund.

"I just spoke with Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi. We are progressing in the Kursk region – from one to three kilometers. We have taken control of two more settlements. Active actions are underway with regard to one more settlement. The exchange fund is being replenished," the president noted.

As The Washington Post writes, Ukraine carried out a powerful attack on the Russian defense, which went down in history as the first foreign invasion of the territory of the Russian Federation since the Second World War. This invasion exposed Moscow's illusory "red lines," demonstrating the passive and muted response of Russian leader Vladimir Putin.