Clashes between Ukrainian and Russian forces are ongoing in Russia's Kursk Oblast, with Ukrainian troops reportedly advancing up to 10 kilometers into Russian territory.
Here’s what we know so far.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported on August 8 that its forces are continuing to engage Ukrainian troops in the Sudzhansky and Korenovsky districts of Kursk Oblast, a region bordering Ukraine's Sumy Oblast.
The clashes began on August 6, when Ukrainian forces allegedly crossed the border, leading to what Russian President Vladimir Putin described as "a large-scale provocation."
Also read
While Kyiv has remained largely silent about the operation, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed that its forces have successfully prevented further Ukrainian advances.
Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, echoed this sentiment, telling The Kyiv Independent that the Ukrainian advance into Kursk Oblast had been stopped.
Despite these claims, reports from Russian Telegram channels suggest that fighting has reached Sudzha, a small town located less than 10 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported on August 7 that geolocation footage indicates Ukrainian troops have advanced up to 10 kilometers into Kursk Oblast, passing through at least two Russian defense lines and a stronghold.
Kursk Oblast, which borders Ukraine's Sumy Oblast, has been a focal point of tension since Russian forces were pushed back across the border in April 2022.
The region has a population of around 1 million, with 440,000 residents in the city of Kursk, the administrative center.
The ongoing clashes in Kursk Oblast are occurring as Russia intensifies its attacks in Ukraine's Donetsk Oblast.
