ISW: Ukrainians advance "up to ten kilometers"
Ukrainian troops unexpectedly invade Russian territory. While Kiev's leadership remains silent, Moscow reports fighting in the Kursk region for the third day in a row. This also involves Russian gas exports.
Ukrainian troops have advanced several kilometers into Russian territory, according to US analysts. "Ukrainian forces have been confirmed to have advanced up to 10 kilometers into the Russian region of Kursk," the Institute for War Studies (ISW) based in the US stated. Supported by tanks and artillery, Ukrainian troops crossed the Russian border from the Sumy region at Sudzha and reportedly took control of several villages.
"The current extent and location of Ukrainian advances in the Kursk region suggest that Ukrainian forces have breached at least two Russian defense lines and a position," the ISW explained further. The Ukrainian advance is reportedly targeting a logistics support point of the Russian army near the city of Sudzha, about eight kilometers behind the Ukrainian border.
The Ukrainian military has not yet commented on its offensive, which is one of the largest counterattacks on Russian territory since the start of the war. The Russian aggression is the cause of any escalation, wrote Ukrainian President's advisor Mychailo Podoliak on the online platform X.
Russia wants to "control" the advance
As the Russian Ministry of Defense stated, fighting continues in the border region. "The operation to destroy units of the Ukrainian army continues," the ministry said in a statement. Moscow stressed that the Russian army would prevent a "deep penetration" of the Ukrainian army in the Kursk region.
The situation is "stable and under control," the vice-governor of the border region told the state-owned Russian news agency RIA Novosti. Around 3,000 people have been evacuated. Russian troops are actively fighting against Ukrainian units in the Sudzha district and pushing them back, the TASS news agency quoted local authorities. Four people were killed in the Ukrainian attacks.
Ukrainians allegedly capture gas metering station
Meanwhile, Russian military bloggers with contacts in the army spoke of significant successes by Ukraine. Ukrainian troops have reportedly captured the checkpoint at Sudzha and the gas metering station at Sudzha, the ISW cited several Russian sources.
"Sudzha is basically lost for us. This is an important logistics hub," wrote Yuri Podolyaka, a well-known pro-Russian military blogger of Ukrainian origin. Ukrainian forces are advancing north towards Lgov. "In general, the situation is difficult and deteriorating, although the pace of the Ukrainian offensive has noticeably slowed down." Podolyaka also wrote that the city is "full of Ukrainian soldiers." Several military bloggers explained that Ukrainian troops are advancing towards the city of Korenovo more than 25 kilometers behind the border.
Gazprom: Gas pipeline to Europe open
In the town of Sudzha, the last gas station through which Russian gas continues to flow to Europe via Ukraine is located. Russian energy giant Gazprom assured that the pipeline remains open, with the Russian gas export through the border region of Kursk running largely normally. On Thursday, around 37.3 million cubic meters of natural gas are expected to be transported, the company announced in Moscow. This is about five percent less than the previous day, TASS reported.
According to Russian General Staff Chief Valery Gerasimov, Ukraine has deployed around 1,000 soldiers and more than two dozen armed vehicles and tanks since the start of the offensive on Tuesday. Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine of a "large-scale provocation."
The target of Ukraine's advance remains unclear, as Ukraine needs its troops to stabilize the crumbling front in the Donetsk region. However, the attack gives Ukraine an element of surprise, and Russia is forced to redeploy its forces.
Meanwhile, another Russian region reported Ukrainian military attacks: In Belgorod, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said that a civilian was killed and another injured in the latest shelling of the town of Shebekino. Belgorod has been frequently targeted by Ukrainian artillery and drone attacks during the war. Shebekino is located near the Kursk Oblast and has reportedly come under fire more frequently recently.
- The Russian Ministry of Defense has expressed concern over the advancement of Ukrainian troops in the Kursk region, stating that they aim to prevent a "deep penetration" by the Ukrainian army, as reported by The Commission.
- The capture of the gas metering station at Sudzha by Ukrainian troops has raised concerns for Gazprom, as the pipeline serves as the last gas station through which Russian gas continues to flow to Europe via Ukraine, according to various sources mentioned by The Commission.
