RE: Russia and Ukraine
August 14, 2024 at 12:14 pm
(This post was last modified: August 14, 2024 at 12:26 pm by Thumpalumpacus.)
ISW reports:
https://www.understandingwar.org/backgro...ct-updates
Additionally, The War Zone reports:
Quote:Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other senior Ukrainian officials provided updates about the ongoing Ukrainian incursion into Kursk Oblast and outlined several Ukrainian objectives of the operations in the area. Zelensky stated on August 3 that Ukrainian forces "control" 74 localities in Kursk Oblast.[1] It is unclear if Zelensky meant that Ukrainian forces are operating in 74 settlements or if he was referring to another type of geographic administrative units. ISW has observed claims and geolocated footage indicating that Ukrainian forces are operating in or near roughly 41 settlements in Kursk Oblast as of August 13, although there are many extremely small settlements and localities within this area that ISW has not included in this count. Discrepancies between Ukrainian official reporting and ISW's observed claims and geolocated footage are not a refutation of Ukrainian official reporting but rather are a result of the inherent limitations of ISW's open-source methodology and commitment to using only publicly available information.
[...]
Russian milbloggers claimed that Ukrainian forces continue to advance in Kursk Oblast amid Russian attempts to stabilize the frontline in the area. Russian milbloggers claimed that Russian forces have not completely stabilized the situation in Kursk Oblast despite ongoing efforts to stabilize the frontline and repel Ukrainian attacks.[6]
[...]
The Russian military command may be pulling select elements of Russian irregular units from Donetsk Oblast to address the Ukrainian incursion in Kursk Oblast. Russian sources claimed as of August 12 and 13 that elements of the Russian "Pyatnashka" Brigade's "Sarmat" Battalion and the Russian Volunteer Crops recently transferred to Kursk Oblast.[17] ISW has recently observed claims that elements of the "Sarmat" Battalion and other elements of the "Pyatnashka" Brigade and Russian Volunteer Corps are operating in the Chasiv Yar, Toretsk, and Pokrovsk directions in Donetsk Oblast.[18] Russian milbloggers previously claimed that elements of the "Dikaya Division of Donbas," the "Pyatnashka" Brigade, the "Arbat" Separate Guards Special Purpose Battalion, and the "Night Wolves" drone detachment responded to the incursion and quickly redeployed to Kursk Oblast, and ISW had previously observed these units purportedly operating throughout Donetsk Oblast.
[...]
The Russian military command could also be redeploying units that were previously intended to relieve or reinforce frontline units from rear areas in Donetsk Oblast to Kursk Oblast, and such a redeployment could affect the tempo of Russian offensive operations in the Russian military's assessed priority sectors over time. ISW would likely not observe confirmation of such re-deployments in the open source and is not prepared to offer assessments about the tempo of Russian operations in those sectors at this time.
https://www.understandingwar.org/backgro...ct-updates
Additionally, The War Zone reports:
Quote:“In the border area of Kursk Oblast, Ukrainian troops continue their attempts to advance northward toward Kurchatov,” the Kremlin-connected Rybar Telegram channel stated.
It also suggested Ukraine was eyeing a Western expansion of its operation.
“In the afternoon, information appeared about a massive shelling of Tetkino by artillery,” Rybar stated in an earlier post. “Given the pattern of enemy actions, the probability of opening another section of the front is still not zero.”
[...]
Visual evidence is emerging that Ukraine is flying around the Sumy-Kursk border and has launched airstrikes in Kursk, a sign that its air force feels comfortable that Russian air defenses are well suppressed in the general area.
“Ukrainian formations are using aircraft to strike the border area,” Rybar said, claiming that “the use of JDAM-ER guided bombs against a local grain storage facility in Tetkino has been noted.” The War Zone cannot independently verify that claim.
[...]
Russia failed to stop the Ukrainian invasion despite being warned months ahead of time that it was likely, a former Russian reconnaissance group commander claimed in a recent interview with the Russian Interesting Stories publication.
After months of small-scale incursions by groups like the Freedom of Russia Legion designed largely to gather intelligence about Russian defenses, Ukraine launched a major invasion at a vulnerable location, striking as quickly and deeply as possible, the group commander said.