Ukrainian troops are making significant progress in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, having captured various villages as part of their cross-border offensive, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
On Saturday, reports indicated that Ukrainian forces advanced in the Glushkovo district, particularly around the villages of Tyotkino and Sudzha. This was supported by verified geolocation footage showing Ukrainian troops operating in the village of Veseloye, southwest of Glushkovo.
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According to Russian military sources, Ukrainian forces continued their offensive in other areas, including Obukhovka and Novy Put, between September 13 and 14. This aggressive movement has reportedly compelled Russia to ramp up its military presence in the region.
Vadym Mysnyk, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s Pivnich (Northern) operational command, noted a significant increase in Russian troop deployment in Kursk Oblast from around 11,000 personnel before the July incursion to an estimated 30,000 to 45,000 now. The operation launched by Kyiv on August 6 took many by surprise, including NATO, according to leader Jens Stoltenberg.
The ISW has updated its maps to reflect the advancements made by Ukrainian forces in the area.
Institute for the Study of War
On the Russian side, forces launched counterattacks near Lyubimovka and Daryino, with reports showing advances by Russian infantry from the 810th Marine Brigade in Borki. Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces have reportedly captured the village of Cherkasskoye north of Sudzha.
The ISW observed that the ongoing operation is strategically significant, as it has forced Russia to redeploy troops from their front lines to Kursk. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has indicated that Russia may concentrate as many as 70,000 troops in the area.
Importantly, this offensive also seems to have implications for negotiations, with a series of prisoner exchanges occurring between the two nations. On September 14, Ukraine and Russia swapped 103 prisoners each, marking their third exchange since the offensive began. Ukrainian officials believe these actions may bolster their bargaining position for further releases of prisoners of war.
Furthermore, reports from Russian military bloggers revealed that specialized personnel, such as drone operators and electronic warfare specialists, faced reassignment to infantry roles, resulting in casualties due to the dangerous nature of these frontline assignments. The ISW suggests that such tactics may be diminishing Russia’s overall military effectiveness.