25 kilometers is a decent distance. Unless it's a general advance it won't last. The Ukrainians are up to something but no one really knows what at this point. I think they simply spotted a weakness and decided to exploit it and see what the Hitlerites do about it, then go from there. It does make the Putinistas look weak as they now have to explain how they cannot hold on to even their own territory. It's a big propaganda win at least.
The Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat wrote (7-8.8.) - translated by ChatGTP:
Ukrainian forces have penetrated up to ten kilometers into Russian territory during battles in the Kursk region, reports the American think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
According to ISW's review, by Wednesday, Ukraine had reportedly taken control of approximately 45 square kilometers and eleven settlements in the Kursk region, according to Russian sources.
The Finnish war monitoring group Black Bird Group, on the other hand, estimated late Wednesday that Ukrainian forces had advanced at least 12 kilometers into Russian territory through two Russian defense lines, said group member Emil Kastehelmi on X (formerly Twitter).
"Russians appear to have descended into chaos" after less than two days of the Ukrainian offensive, Kastehelmi wrote.
A state of emergency has been declared in the Kursk region. At least five people are reported dead and dozens injured, according to Russian official sources cited by Reuters.
ISW reports that at one checkpoint, Ukrainian forces advancing with tanks and armored vehicles may have captured over 40 Russian soldiers. (August 7, 2024)
The Russian leadership appears to be confused by the Ukrainian offensive, which, according to the Chief of the Russian General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, involves up to a thousand Ukrainian soldiers.
According to him, Russian forces have managed to stop the Ukrainian advance. Ukraine has remained silent about the ongoing offensive, with most of the information coming from Russian sources.
President Vladimir Putin briefly commented on the Ukrainian attack on Wednesday. He called it a "large-scale provocation," claiming that Ukraine had fired on civilian buildings and even ambulances. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused Ukraine of terrorism.
Russian opposition media Važnye Istorii reported on Wednesday that Ukrainian forces had captured the gas pumping station in the border town of Sudzha, through which Russia supplies gas to Europe via Ukraine.
Reports of the station's capture caused natural gas futures prices in Europe to rise significantly on Wednesday.
According to Russian military bloggers, Ukraine has not yet fully captured the town of Sudzha, but many are preparing for the possibility that it will happen.
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev stated on Thursday, according to Reuters, that Russia must aim to capture more territories in Ukraine, including the capital Kyiv, in response to the attack. According to him, Russia should not settle for the Ukrainian territories it has already seized and claims as its own.
Military experts have been somewhat puzzled as to why Ukraine launched such a broad attack on Russian soil, given the significant challenges it faces in defending its own territory against Russian assaults.
Of course, Ukraine cannot conquer all of Russia, and it is unclear why it should seek to capture and hold territories in Russia. Ukraine has previously attacked Russia, but the current offensive, considering the number of troops involved, seems to be an exceptional event in the war.
According to experts cited by the BBC, Ukraine may simply be trying to tie down more Russian forces on their own soil, which has at least partially succeeded. For example, fewer bombs have been dropped on the Donetsk region since Ukraine's surprise attack began.
According to Emil Kastehelmi, who maps the war using open sources, the rapid progress of the offensive indicates at least two Russian failures: Russian intelligence has not been up to the task, and the country has had too few troops protecting its border.
"[Ukraine's] true objectives are unclear. Ukraine may be trying to divert Russia's attention from other areas to Kursk. Ukraine may also be seeking a better position for future negotiations if the operation's goal is to seize and hold territory for an extended period," Kastehelmi speculated in his X thread.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated in his speech on Wednesday evening that putting pressure on Russia paves the way for peace.
"For a just peace through justified force," Zelensky said, according to the BBC.
Zelensky did not mention the attack on the Kursk region in his speech.
