On Tuesday, several land units They entered Russian territory taking Moscow by surprise. Although Ukraine has not confirmed responsibility, analysts maintain that it was an operation planned in kyiv.
“The advance of up to 10 kilometers of Ukrainian forces in the Russian region of Kursk is confirmed as mechanized operations continue on Russian territory,” the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, said Wednesday.
Geotagged images show the advance of armored vehicles that the think tank says have penetrated two Russian defensive lines. Several of the images also show the capture of dozens of Russian prisoners.
As a result of these attacks, five civilians died and 31 others were injured, according to the latest data from the Russian Health Ministry.
Russian soldiers surrendering to Ukrainian forces. 8/https://t.co/75njuvyQVEhttps://t.co/ap7OckA0fkhttps://t.co/PXwCD7Hj82 pic.twitter.com/5vcnXMD57z
– Rob Lee (@RALee85) August 7, 2024
Analyst Michael Kofman noted that future developments “will depend on what Ukraine has in store to launch the operation and how quickly Russia organizes to counter.” “I would consider many of the maps speculative because the first days of an offensive are usually the most dynamic,” Expert X wrote.
Anti-aircraft defense systems have shot down six drones and 12 rockets in recent hours, as reported on Thursday by the acting governor of the border region with Ukraine, Alexei Smirnov, who declared a state of emergency in the region to “mitigate the consequences of the incursion of enemy forces.”
Local authorities said that since the incursion began, several thousand people have left the area and more than 600 have been housed in shelters.
The chief of staff of the Russian armed forces, Valery Gerasimov, estimated on Wednesday that around 1,000 men took part in the raid.
“The operation will end with a crushing defeat of the enemy,” the military leader promised during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who “described the largest Ukrainian incursion into Russian territory since the beginning of the war as a large-scale provocation.”
Journalist Luke Harding says the operation is aimed at diverting Russian forces from other areas, including Avdiivka, where Ukraine is struggling.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stressed on Thursday that American-made F-16 warplanes are already being used in the country's airspace.
“The F-16s are already in the Ukrainian skies, and there will be more,” the Ukrainian head of state reported on his social media account, publishing a video summarizing his administration's efforts to acquire this type of Western defense system.