Intense Fighting Between Russia and Ukraine in Kursk Oblast

Intense fighting between Russia and Ukraine in Kursk Oblast: The front line is not stable, and the Russian army digs 40 kilometers of anti-tank trenches.

On August 13, 2024, Russian Satellite News Agency reported that the Belarusian Ministry of Defense released news on the 12th stating that Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin and Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov discussed the current military and political situation on August 12. Recently, unexpected changes have occurred in the situation on the Russia-Ukraine battlefield. The fighting between the two sides has reached the territory of Russia and Belarus, and the Ukrainian army is approaching the Russian border.

Since August 6, 2024, the Ukrainian army has launched attacks on the Kursk Oblast, which is adjacent to northeastern Ukraine on the Russian border. As of August 12, the exchange of fire between Russia and Ukraine in this region is still ongoing. On the 12th, Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Serhiy Shaptala said at the Supreme Command Headquarters meeting that currently, the Ukrainian Armed Forces control about 1,000 square kilometers of Russian territory, and the Ukrainian army is continuing to take offensive actions in the Kursk region. All units are carrying out relevant tasks, the battle is still ongoing, and the situation on the entire front is under the control of the Ukrainian army.

The acting governor of the Kursk Oblast of Russia, Smirnov, reported to Russian President Putin on the 12th that because there is currently no clear "front line" in the Kursk Oblast, it is difficult to determine the exact location of the enemy. The oblast has currently dug 40 kilometers of anti-tank trenches. He also said that at present, a total of 28 settlements in the Kursk Oblast are controlled by the Ukrainian army, and a total of 121,000 people have been evacuated from the border area. The Ukrainian army's attack has killed 12 civilians and injured 121 in the oblast, including 10 children.

In addition, the Wall Street Journal of the United States, citing White House sources, reported that the Biden administration is worried that Ukraine may face "cruel retaliation" from Russia for attacking Kursk. The report ***yzed that the ultimate goal of Ukraine's attack on Kursk is unclear because the Ukrainian army is severely lacking in personnel and weapons, and in the east, the Ukrainian army has difficulty stopping Russia's advance. Military experts interviewed by the newspaper believe that from a tactical perspective, Ukraine's actions in the Russian border area are meaningless. The reason may be that Ukraine hopes to attract the attention of the United States before the US presidential election in November this year.