Situation in Kursk border region extremely difficult, Ukraine plans to invade Crimea

The military situation in the border region of Kursk remains extremely difficult. Reports indicate that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are putting up significant resistance, but despite this, Russian troops continue to advance.

Photo: https://www.facebook.com/100064359595429/posts/313098054178845 by Joint Forces Task Force, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Ukrainian forces

Russian forces are currently fighting their way toward the settlement of Malaya Loknya.

“Overall, the situation remains extremely difficult, but the initiative still belongs to the Russian Armed Forces,” a source stated.

Active battles are now taking place near the settlements of Lebedevka, Makhnovka, Sverdlikovo, Cherkasskoye Porechnoye, Viktorovka, and Malaya Loknya.

Fighting in the Kursk region has been ongoing since August 2024. Since the beginning of the incursion into Russian territory, the AFU has lost more than 65,000 personnel.

New Phase of Battles with AFU Begins in Kursk Region

Rybar Telegram channel (founded by Russian military blogger Mikhail Zvinchuk), previously reported that a new phase of fighting with the AFU has begun in the region. The Ukrainian forces do not plan to retreat despite setbacks on the battlefield.

“And now a new phase of the operation to liberate the Kursk region has begun (...) The Russian offensive is advancing on multiple fronts,” the channel said.

The Russian forces are advancing simultaneously from the settlements of Sverdlikovo, Ulanok, and Biryukovka.

The authors also noted that this new stage in the Russian Army’s counteroffensive in the region began immediately after a sabotage operation on the Loknya River, which further complicated AFU supply lines.

Ukrainian Forces Divided into Two After Bridge Explosions Near Sudzha

The Russian troops blew up three bridges near Sudzha, significantly complicating the enemy’s ability to maneuver between its units. Units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were split into two parts.

Meanwhile, Russia continues clearing operations in Cherkasskoye Porechnoye and is advancing west of Kurilovka. The situation for the AFU in the Kursk region is becoming increasingly dire.

“There is notable progress west of Kurilovka, which threatens the enemy with the physical cutting of another AFU supply route in Sudzha. Overall, the atmosphere of catastrophe for the AFU here is becoming increasingly evident (the front is clearly starting to collapse)," military blogger Yuri Podolyaka said.

Signs of Possible Ukrainian Invasion of Crimea

There are indications that may suggest Ukraine is preparing for a possible invasion of Crimea, military blogger Mikhail Zvinchuk believes. 

The signs become apparent if one disregards the inherent lack of feasibility in an attack on the peninsula for the AFU. Among the indicators, they noted Ukraine's buildup of its fleet of small boats, which have recently seen little use against Russia.

A second sign is the accelerated development of Ukrainian drone technology, while intelligence reports of Ukrainian paratrooper exercises may serve as a third sign of such preparations.

"Training of special operations groups from the Main Intelligence Directorate, Special Operations Forces, and marines has been noted at various locations along the Black Sea coast,” Rybar channel bloggers report emphasizing that despite these indicators, they still consider the likelihood of an invasion of Crimea to be minimal.

Details

Sudzha is a town and the administrative center of Sudzhansky District in Kursk Oblast, Russia, located on the Sudzha and Oleshnya rivers 105 kilometers (65 mi) southwest of Kursk, the administrative center of the oblast. It has a population of 5,127 people. It is the natural gas exchange feeder where the Trans-Siberian pipeline meets the Brotherhood pipeline. Since August 15, 2024, the town has been occupied by Ukrainian forces as a result of an incursion into the region.