Alexei Smirnov, the Governor of Russia’s Kursk region, has told President Vladimir Putin that six days of the Ukrainian ground attack on his region had resulted in the loss of control over 28 settlements.
This came as Smirnov updated Putin about the situation in his region during an online meeting on Monday, August 12, 2024, which was broadcasted on state television.
Smirnov disclosed that Kyiv’s forces have advanced 12km (7.4 miles) into Russian territory during an incursion that began on Tuesday, August 6, 2024.
He added that the total civilian death toll from Ukraine’s incursion into Russia’s Kursk region has reached 12.
“At least 121 others were injured during the six days of violence, including 10 children,” he said during the online meeting with Putin.
“As of today, 121,000 people have left and been evacuated,” he noted, adding that 59,000 more need to leave.
According to the US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Ukraine’s surprise offensive in Kursk has allowed “Ukrainian forces to at least temporarily seize the battlefield initiative in one area of the frontline.”
“Russia’s possession of the theatre-wide initiative since November 2023 has allowed Russia to determine the location, time, scale, and requirements of fighting in Ukraine and forced Ukraine to expend materiel and manpower in reactive, defensive operations,” the think tank said in a series of posts on X.
Ukraine’s operations, the ISW said, had “forced the Kremlin and Russian military command to react and redeploy forces and means to the sector where Ukrainian forces have launched attacks.”
Ukraine launched a surprise offensive in Kursk on Tuesday, August 6, 2024, in the most significant attack across the border since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
On Saturday, August 10, 2024, night, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged that Ukrainian forces were fighting in Kursk, saying the operation was part of Kyiv’s attempt to “restore justice.”
Russia’s Ministry of Defence said that more troops and munitions were being deployed in the border area before a possible counteroffensive.
Also on Monday, Russia noted that it repelled seven Ukrainian attacks in Kursk.\
According to the Russian Defence Ministry, the attacks had been launched by Ukraine’s 80th and 82nd airborne assault brigades in the past 24 hours near the villages of Martynovka, Borki and Korenevo in Russia’s Kursk region.
“In addition, in the Kauchuk area, attempts by enemy mobile groups to break through on armoured vehicles deep into Russian territory were thwarted,” the statement issued on Telegram said.
Putin Accuses Ukraine Of Trying To Destabilise Russia With Kursk Incursion
Russian President Vladimir Putin asserted that Ukraine is trying to undermine Russian stability with its incursion into the south of the country, but it will not succeed.
“The losses of the Ukrainian armed forces are increasing dramatically for them, including among the most combat-ready units, units that the enemy is transferring to our border,” Putin told a televised meeting with top security officials and regional Governors.
“The enemy will certainly receive a worthy response, and all the goals facing us will, without a doubt, be achieved.”
Putin was also reported as saying that Ukraine’s armed provocation on the Russian border aims to bolster Kiev’s position in future talks but talks with a government that attacks civilians make no sense.
“It is now clear why the Kiev regime refused our proposals to return to the plan for peaceful settlement,” Putin said.
“But what kind of negotiations can we even talk about with people who indiscriminately strike civilians, civilian infrastructure or try to create threats to nuclear power facilities?”
Vladimir Putin
He added, “What can we even talk about with them?”
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