The offensive of the Russian army in the Kursk region: what is known

The Russian army launched an offensive in the Sudzhansky and Glushkovsky districts of the Kursk region, part of which was captured by Ukrainian troops in August. On Thursday, October 10, there were reports of significant advances by Russian troops and a threat to surround some parts of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. However, this information was fragmentary and unofficial. On Friday, witnesses and bloggers continued to talk about fierce fighting on several fronts in this section of the front.

The first reports about the next intensification of the Russian forces in the Kursk region in which the Armed Forces of Ukraine were arriving on October 8 began. Two days later, there were signs that this was not a normal offensive effort, but part of a medium-sized operation.

It is impossible to get a clear picture of the situation in the Kursk region from official reports from the warring parties. The changes in the situation are mostly written by the authors of telegram channels referring to the participants in the events – their messages often contradict each other.

Russian blogger Yuri Podolyaka October 10 said about an attack by two columns of the 155th Marine Group of the Pacific Fleet – from the north to Zeleny Shlyakh and from the west, passing through Tolstoy Lug.

“And by 11.00 they completely surrounded the garrison of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Lyubimovka, cutting off all the way back,” said Podolyaka. His information was picked up by other Z-blogs, although some of them said that the situation is much more complicated and urged them not to be ahead of the curve.

At the same time, there were reports of other possible strikes from Russia on the relevant Sudzhansky, which is held by Ukrainian troops – in the region of Plekhovo and Martynovka in the east, Malaya Loknya in the north, Olgovka in the north-west and the village of Veseloe in the west.

About the attack by Russian troops in several areas in the Korenevsky and Sudzhansky districts and “at least part of the defense attack of the Armed Forces of Ukraine” on the evening of October 10 write and “Rybar” telegram channel. Later, he published a map of the combat zone, from which it follows that parts of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Lyubimovka are in a semicircle, but not completely surrounded, as Podoliaka said.

Ukrainian sources also confirmed that the situation was getting worse.

“The Russians attacked Lyubimovka in the Kursk region, they don’t even save equipment, there was a massacre there,” – write October 10 “Demon Bakhmut”.

“The enemy has penetrated the left flank of the Kursk group of the Defense Forces of Ukraine. […] A very unreliable tactical situation has been created for units close to the north,” the Ukrainian OSINT portal DeepState said at the same time. According to its information, the heaviest fighting took place in the Novivanovka region , where “soldiers and drone pilots had to engage in battle.”

By the morning of October 11, the tone of messages from Ukrainian telegram channels about the situation in the Kursk region became more optimistic – some said that they had successfully repelled Russian attacks, others even claimed that the Russians fell into a trap. There is no reasonable evidence for this.

“The situation in the Kursk region remains difficult, but it can be controlled. It was a difficult and tense night. The enemy suffered heavy losses in the attack, so it will be difficult for them to capture it again. The worst thing is now, perhaps, in Lyubimovka, but we have to wait and see how the new round of war of movement will end,” wrote the Ukrainian telegram channel.

Just as carefully talking about the situation in the direction of Kursk and the Russian channel “Archangel Spetsnaz Z”. According to him, fighting continues near the border, and both sides are attacking. It also reports the capture of the village of Zeleny Shlyakh by Russian troops and success in the area of ​​the village of Olgovka, although there are no details.

“Columns of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are not fleeing from the Kursk region. During the attack, the enemy abandoned his positions and almost lost control of four settlements, but there were no columns running towards Sumy. The enemy is infiltrating and pulling up resources to carry out offensive operations,” reports “Archangel of Special Forces Z.”