- Ukraine establishes military command in Russia for the first time
After their advance in the Russian territory of Kursk, Ukraine increases pressure on Moscow by establishing a military headquarters. Led by Ukrainian Major General Eduard Moskalyov, the headquarters will be responsible for maintaining law and order and addressing the urgent needs of the population, said Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi. Ukraine has emphasized its adherence to international humanitarian law throughout its ground offensive, which has been ongoing since August 6.
After Russia lost control of part of the Kursk region and left people behind, maintaining supplies is crucial, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry in Kyiv said. The Ukrainian defenders are ensuring the safety of those left behind by Russia, the ministry added.
Kyiv: 82 locations under Ukrainian control
The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Syrskyi, further stated that the Ukrainian military has taken control of 82 locations and 1,150 square kilometers of territory since the start of the offensive. According to unverified Ukrainian reports, Kyiv's troops advanced between 500 meters and 1.5 kilometers. This is the first such advance since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.
Unverified Russian reports claim that around 12,000 Ukrainian soldiers have entered the Kursk region and advanced 35 kilometers into Russian territory. However, the independent Russian news portal "Meduza" and other experts consider these Ukrainian claims exaggerated. According to Meduza, Kyiv controls 45 to 50 settlements on an area of between 500 and 700 square meters. The situation in the contested region is highly dynamic, with constantly changing force ratios.
Moscow announces more troops for border regions
Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov convened representatives of the General Staff and other officials in Moscow for an emergency meeting. He announced the deployment of additional troops and resources to the regions of Kursk, Belgorod, and Bryansk bordering Ukraine. The General Staff has prepared a plan with additional measures, Belousov said. "The main goal is to improve the efficiency of the troops management system in cooperation with other security agencies," he said at the meeting on protecting Russia's border regions.
He will personally oversee the implementation of the plan, Belousov said. The goal is to protect Russia's territorial integrity, population, and infrastructure in the border regions. According to the plan, the Defense Ministry, the FSB, the National Guard, and other security agencies will coordinate their activities more effectively.
The incursion of enemy troops with tanks and heavy artillery has sparked widespread astonishment among Russia's population regarding the state of its borders. The FSB, responsible for border security, reports almost daily arrests of suspected and real saboteurs allegedly working for Ukraine and war opponents. However, they missed the fact that a whole contingent of Kyiv troops was forming in the Ukrainian region of Sumy before crossing into Russian territory.
The Defense Ministry in Moscow announced that the Russian army in the Kursk region has retaken control of the village of Krupez and successfully repelled Ukrainian attacks in certain areas. Russian military bloggers, previously criticized by the ministry for false statements, also confirmed this. In the Belgorod region, an attempt by Ukrainian soldiers to seize Russian territory was thwarted, it was reported.
Russia evacuates another district in the Kursk region
Meanwhile, authorities in the Kursk region ordered the evacuation of another district. People in the Glushkovsky district, about ten kilometers from the Ukrainian border, are being moved to safety, Governor Alexei Smirnov announced. Before the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, over 17,500 residents were registered in this district. Smirnov also reported another air alert in the Kursk region due to threatened rocket attacks from the Ukrainian side.
Smirnov met with Deputy Presidential Administration Head Sergei Kiriyenko at the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant. Kiriyenko, a close associate of Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin, inspected the situation after security measures had been reinforced there. After visiting the construction site for the Kursk-2 NPP, Smirnov said that work on the new reactor was proceeding according to plan and is expected to be completed by December. Recently, there have been fears of fighting around the NPP and a possible nuclear threat.
So far, over 120,000 people have been moved to safety. Russia has declared its border regions of Kursk, Belgorod, and Bryansk as zones for anti-terror operations, thus deploying more personnel and resources. In the Belgorod region, Moscow has declared a state of emergency of national significance, as previously done in the Kursk area.
According to Zelensky's statements, Ukraine aims to increase pressure on warring Russia through its offensive to end the fighting and begin peace negotiations. Meanwhile, Russian troops in the Ukrainian region of Donetsk reported the capture of more settlements.
In response to the Ukrainian advance and subsequent pressure on Russia, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) has been increasing their border patrols and arrests of suspected saboteurs allegedly working for Ukraine and war opponents. Despite the FSB's efforts, they missed the formation of a large contingent of Kyiv troops in the Ukrainian region of Sumy before they crossed into Russian territory.
Furthermore, following Russia's losses in the Kursk region, the FSB has taken a more vigilant role in securing Russia's borders, as the potential for further incursions continues to be a concern.
