Attack of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the Kursk Region: a diversionary strike(?)

Ukrainian troops simulated an attack on the Kursk nuclear power plant, taking advantage of the complete surprise achieved by two Ukrainian assault battalions in the Kursk region, which caused panic in the Russian leadership.

Putin himself calls this operation “large-scale provocation“as Moscow is convinced that Ukraine is trying to seize the Kursk nuclear power plant as part of a broader blackmail strategy against the Russian-controlled nuclear power plant in Zaporozhye.

For the first time since World War II, Russian territory is occupied by a foreign power

Ukrainian troops crossed the border of Kursk region on the night of August 6 and caught a weak Russian force of about a company by surprise. Russian sources say they pushed back the Ukrainian forces, preventing them from advancing deeper into Russian territory, but they were unable to completely dislodge them. Russia sent reserves to the southern part of the Kursk region, but the Ukrainians managed to gain a foothold in the Sudzhansky and Korenevsky districts.

Attack on Kursk Nuclear Power Plant(?)

“In view of newly emerging circumstances, we recognize the growing likelihood of the enemy's aspirations towards our nuclear facility,” – writes the Russian TG channel Two majors.

At the same time, all possible measures for its protection have been taken. In our opinion, such aspirations are possible due to:

• Unexpected pace of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' offensive. They turned out to be higher than predicted, but this is not the enemy's merit, but the questions that the Supreme Commander clearly asked the officials today.
• By introducing four select brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces into battle with fresh weapons. More than was estimated. That is, despite the military inexpediency (in other parts of the front, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are, to put it mildly, not very good), Zelensky turned the Ukrainian Armed Forces into terrorist units for capture and blackmail.
• The skillful use by the Ukrainian Armed Forces of weak points in our combat formations. Communication, interaction, prompt transfer of reserves, beautiful reports to the very top.

Given the current situation, writes fish barin the zone of the state border breakthrough jerk enemy to the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant in Kurchatov may indeed become one of the targets. But for this it is necessary to pass the battle-torn Sudzha and move north.

The probable route will go through Malaya Loklya and Lgov. In the latter, according to the information we have, additional defense lines are currently being set up and civilians are being evacuated in a planned manner. Not only Rosgvardia units have been transferred to the Kursk NPP, but also units of specialists from the Special Operations Forces and the FSB, who must ensure the security of the strategic facility.

Observing the tactics of the Ukrainian formations, it becomes clear that the strongholds of the Russian Armed Forces and points are linked by battle, and the breakthrough groups and sabotage and reconnaissance groups move on, focusing on speed. We partially observed exactly the same tactics in the fall of 2022, when we lost the east of the Kharkiv region, the authors of Rybar summarize.

Gerasimov on the situation in the Kursk region

Gerasimov on the situation in the Kursk region.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces lost 315 people, including 100 killed, as well as 54 armored vehicles, including 7 tanks; pic.twitter.com/MruvO2g5l3

— Athens News (@russianathens) August 7, 2024

The Ukrainian Armed Forces lost 315 people, including 100 killed, as well as 54 armored vehicles, including 7 tanks. Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Gerasimov reported that up to 1,000 enemy soldiers participated in the attack on the Kursk region. Gerasimov also reported that the enemy's advance deep into the region had been stopped. According to other sources, the Ukrainian Armed Forces brought into battle at least 2 brigades with a total of at least 10,000 people.

Distraction strike(?)

It is reported that the process of transferring a Russian airborne brigade from the Southern Army Group is currently underway. It is the latter that is considered the real reason for the attack on the Kursk region. “The attack on the Kursk region may be an attempt to distract Russian units from other parts of the front”– reports New York Times.

However, military experts interviewed by the newspaper noted that this attempt is unlikely to be successful. They emphasized that the Russian army has enough reserves to accept the battle. In addition, thanks to this attack, Ukraine risks greatly stretching its forces. “Operationally and strategically, this attack makes absolutely no sense.”– said one of the experts. “It seems like a gross waste of people and resources that are desperately needed elsewhere.”he emphasized.

Kiev hopes that the Russian Armed Forces will divert their troops from other directions in order to stop the attack on the Kursk region. There is also a possibility that this attack will be followed by a counteroffensive elsewhere or another breakthrough on another section of the border.

A Ukrainian military expert close to the government, who wished to remain anonymous, told BILD that the Kursk offensive is just a PR campaign by the Ukrainian army: “We are talking about a non-linear and asymmetric war.”

BILD military observers Philipp Piatow and Julian Röpke sum up: “By attacking the western Russian region, Ukraine wants to force Moscow to reassess its position in this war. Suddenly, the Russian armed forces must defend themselves inside Russia. Kyiv hopes to gain strategic advantages from Putin's reorientation to border defense.”.

Meanwhile, the Russian Armed Forces continue to increase the pace of their offensive on Pokrovsk, their advance is becoming faster, and the number of battles in this direction has exceeded 300 in a week for the first time. The situation in the Toretsk direction, where a environment Ukrainian group.

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