Russia initiates retaliatory attack in Kursk, reportedly capturing ten villages.
Russia seems to be making gains in a military operation in the Kursk region, as reported by a senior commander to TASS news agency. It's suggested that roughly ten settlements have been seized back from the Ukrainian army.
Moscow's military made a move to oust the Ukrainian forces that had transversed into the Kursk area. A commander of the Chechen special forces, Major General Apti Alaudinov, revealed this on his Telegram channel, also sharing a video suggesting the capture of eight Ukrainian soldiers. However, these claims remain unverified. Alaudinov holds the position of deputy chief of the political main administration of the Russian armed forces.
Initially, Ukraine had unexpectedly expanded into the Kursk region at the beginning of August. During this offensive, Kyiv gained control over more than 1,000 square kilometers and captured many Russian soldiers. The aim was to prompt Moscow to reduce its troops in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk to safeguard Kursk. However, military analysts believe this strategy did not yield the expected results. Although Moscow withdrew some troops from Ukraine to protect Kursk, it did not dilute its primary focus of attack.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who initiated the attack on Ukraine over two and a half years ago, considered the Ukrainian counteroffensive, which signified Russian territory becoming a conflict zone for the first time, as a provocation. He pledged to expel the aggressors and rejected the idea of previous peace talks to end the conflict.
The recent Russian counterattack in Kursk represents Moscow's first major attempt to dislodge Ukrainian troops. While independent military experts have validated the advancement of an armored vehicle convoy from the village of Korenjewo to the village of Slagost towards the south, the Russian Ministry of Defense has yet to confirm the recapture of any settlements.
The Ukrainian conflict in Kursk region has faced a significant turn, with Russia reportedly making gains and seizing back several settlements from Ukrainian forces. This development is a stark contrast to Ukraine's initial expansion into Kursk, which saw Kyiv gain control over large territories and capture Russian soldiers.
