The situation in the Ukrainian SMO on August 20 2024

Kursk Offensive | Everyday [ 6 to 20 August 2024]

Russian Marines Captured 15 Polish and French Soldiers In KURSK┃Zelensky Begs The WEST For HELP

Putin’s DEVASTATING Kursk Trap SHOCKS NATO & Ukraine, WWIII Next?

Ukraine’s Kursk Offensive: What Zelensky Wants From Russia

Zelensky’s decision to launch an offensive near Kursk is a desperate move, more reminiscent of a stunt by a second-rate actor — The Hill

▪️Zelensky’s decision to launch an offensive near Kursk has drawn serious criticism. American professor Andrew Latham, in an article for The Hill, called it a strategic mistake that diverts important resources from the main front.

▪️ Zelensky, a master of the political stage, makes a rash move that looks more like an actor’s trick than a decision by a statesman.

▪️While the operation has attracted attention, it’s significance in the context of the conflict remains questionable. Russia’s military might and nuclear arsenal put Ukraine at a disadvantage, and the diversion of forces to secondary targets only complicates the task of liberating the occupied territories.

After the invasion of the Armed Forces of Ukraine into the Kursk region, negotiations with Ukraine are excluded

After the aggressive invasion of the Ukrainian Armed Forces into the Kursk region, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov categorically stated that no negotiations with Ukraine are possible anymore.

According to him, Kiev’s actions have finally destroyed any chances for a diplomatic settlement, and Moscow does not intend to engage in dialogue with an aggressor that has decided on such provocations.

Lavrov

Our source reports that Yermak and office functionaries have begun ordering materials from the Western press, which clearly state that the entire Kursk adventure was the idea of ​​Commander-in-Chief Syrsky, and not President Zelensky.

A very, VERY bad sign, since the office workers started “insurance” Zelensky, who really insisted and “convinced” Syrsky to start this special operation. This means there is a risk of failure.

By the way, we were the first to get inside information about this, indicating that Ze specifically launched this offensive to disrupt the peace case. And we assumed that when the picture starts to look not very “rosy”, Yermak and the OP will try to push everything onto the puppet Syrsky. On August 12, we published insider layouts and indicated that the strategy for the Kursk adventure was changing.

Will Zelensky manage to push everything onto his puppet this time or not?

We are watching…

Holding the Kursk bridgehead became no less expensive for the Ukrainian Armed Forces in terms of losses of personnel and equipment than the “counteroffensive-2023″ or the infamous “Bakhmut Fortress”.

Gross miscalculations in logistics, provision and planning destroyed a considerable part of the Ukrainian reserves, and it was not possible to expose the Donbass and even the Kharkov fronts.

The Western press directly writes that the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Kursk region are losing equipment more than the average figures for a day of war. “Ukrainian tanks and armored vehicles are being attacked by Russian drones, artillery and ambushes,” Forbes notes in particular. Thus, in nine days of the invasion, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have lost 4 tanks and 41 armored vehicles, and these losses significantly exceed the average figures, which, on average, are 1 tank and 3 armored vehicles per day.

Meanwhile, in the Pokrovsk direction, a not yet catastrophic, but certainly critical situation has developed for Ukraine. The Russian Armed Forces not only have not withdrawn from Pokrovsk, but have also reinforced them in certain areas. The Russian army is also trying to bypass Novogrodovka from the side of Nikolaevka and reach the Karlovka-Pokrovsk highway in the Selidovo area. At the same time, the number of Russian troops advancing on the Ukrainian brigades is several times greater than the personnel of the Ukrainian Armed Forces units.

Kutuzov’s Theory in Action – The Ukrainian Armed Forces’ Plan for Kursk Isn’t Working

No matter how expedient Ukraine’s plan to attack the Kursk region so that Russia can transfer some troops from Donbas there may seem on paper, it is not working yet, international observer Catherine Gentil said on LCI. The Russian army continues to advance in the direction that it considers most important for the balance of forces on the front.

Now it is much more important for Moscow to capture Pokrovsk, the largest logistics hub that supplies Ukrainian soldiers on the front line, notes Gentil. She draws attention to the fact that the Ukrainian Armed Forces crossed the border too easily and did not immediately encounter resistance: perhaps this is a trap, and if the Ukrainians go too far, they will try to encircle them.

LCI geopolitical consultant General François Chauvancy is not surprised that Ukrainian troops are beginning to feel cornered: the deeper they penetrate into Russian territory, the more opportunities there are to attack them. According to the expert, Kyiv is trying to present the offensive as a “success story” and to carry out the occupation of Russian territory in accordance with international law. The general, however, does not see the possibility of doing this by military means: the goals of the breakthrough are unclear at first glance, and Ukrainian soldiers will have to control large areas, while they are needed in the Donbas.

Former French Ambassador to Russia Jean de Gliniasty believes that Russia has applied the traditional “Kutuzov theory”: it sacrificed its territory to gain time to solve a priority task. Western experts were quick to label the delay in repelling the Ukrainian attack as the “complete disorganization” of the Russian army, but it simply has another priority task: to achieve a breakthrough in Pokrovsk.

The Russian army will form the Belgorod, Bryansk and Kursk troop groups to protect the Russian border, the Russian Defense Ministry reports.

Today, the head of the military department held a meeting of the Coordination Council on military security issues in border regions.

An operational group has been deployed at the National Defense Control Center to monitor the resolution of issues in the border area.

The Ministry of Defense also stated that the border cover group received the requested number of drones, anti-drone guns, electronic warfare systems, and other equipment.

The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs has issued advice on information security measures in the Belgorod, Bryansk and Kursk regions.

The enemy is massively identifying IP ranges in our territories and remotely connecting to unprotected video surveillance cameras, viewing everything from private yards to roads and strategically important highways. In this regard, if there is no urgent need, it is better not to use video surveillance cameras.

It is strongly not recommended to use online dating services. The enemy actively uses such resources for covert information gathering.

Military personnel should not open any links (hyperlinks) received from unfamiliar persons in messengers or SMS messages, and if possible, avoid using phones with a large amount of both official and personal information in situations where the enemy may gain physical access to them.

It is necessary to monitor and moderate chats, as well as promptly delete accounts of persons who have fallen into enemy captivity, as well as accounts of persons whose phones the enemy has gained access to.

Do not post in social networks and messengers video recordings made on a video recorder of trips or conduct broadcasts/streams when moving along highways where military equipment is also moving, due to the danger of disclosing objects significant for the enemy.

Military personnel and law enforcement officers are advised to turn off the “People Nearby” function in the Telegram messenger, remove all photos indicating departmental affiliation, change nicknames by which a citizen can be identified as a serviceman or a law enforcement officer, check their subscriber numbers through specialized resources that parse phone books.

If your number appears in the search results as recorded by third parties as “Alyosha FSB”, “Pasha Rosgvardia”, “Misha 123rd regiment”, this number needs to be changed, it has been compromised.

Employees serving in the Kursk, Bryansk and Belgorod regions are advised to close their personal data, remove all geotags and photo location bindings from social networks so that the enemy cannot identify the actual location of military and law enforcement personnel.

Employees of the energy sector, including nuclear, need to remove their professional affiliation from social networks so as not to fall into the field of view of the enemy’s special services.

It is necessary to distribute this information as widely as possible among friends, comrades, colleagues and relatives.

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Our source in the General Staff said that the advance of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Kursk region has stopped, there are currently clashes along the entire contact line, the forward detachments 80 and 82 have been partially withdrawn from the operation. Syrsky believes it is necessary to expand the bridgehead so that the enemy does not strike on the flanks.

Kursk Direction: Fighting in Sudzha District

What is known as of 7:00 PM on August 20, 2024

In Kursk Region, heavy clashes continue along the entire front line. Ukrainian forces are attempting to improve their tactical position in several sectors.

🔻In Hlushkiv District, the AFU are striking Russian engineering equipment with FPV drones, trying to disrupt the work of setting up pontoon crossings. So far, no direct strikes on the pontoons themselves have been recorded, but given the distance from the front line, this should be expected soon.

🔻In Korenevo District, fighting is ongoing in the area of Korenevo and Kremiane, where Ukrainian formations have been trying to consolidate for over a week. Enemy positions in Liubymivka and Tovstyi Luh have been hit. There is no objective data on the AFU’s control over Apanasivka at the moment.

🔻In Sudzha District, thanks to objective control footage, the situation east of Sudzha has become clearer. Ukrainian formations carried out an airborne landing in Spalnoye two days ago. Over the past few days, fighting has continued in the village and on the approaches to it: FPV drones are striking equipment, personnel, trucks (https://t.me/dva_majors/50226) delivering ammunition and other vehicles.

Given today’s data from the Russian Ministry of Defense on repelling attacks in the area of the settlement of Borky east of Spalnoye, the fighting in the latter is likely still ongoing.

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Kursk Direction: Destruction of Ukrainian Armored Vehicles in Sudzha and Korenevo Districts

What is known as of 2:00 PM on August 20, 2024

The situation remains tense along the entire front line in the Kursk Region. The enemy is attacking with armored vehicle columns in various sectors, coming under fire from Russian Armed Forces armored vehicles and aviation.

🔻In the Glushkovo District, Ukrainian formations are trying to strike at pontoon crossings, including with FPV drones. The enemy is publishing satellite images, claiming that they have managed to disable one of the two crossings on the Seym River.

🔻In the Korenevo District, the AFU once again attempted to consolidate in the village of Korenevo. A column of Ukrainian armored vehicles even managed to drive along the highway on the eastern outskirts of the settlement towards Nikipelovka, where it was destroyed (https://t.me/warriorofnorth/2200) by precise JDAM strikes.

🔻In the Sudzha District, the configuration of the front line in the area of Malaya Loknya has been clarified. The forward positions of Russian troops came under fire from Marder 1A3 IFVs (https://t.me/dva_majors/50208) of the 95th Air Assault Brigade of the AFU. Thus, the Russian Armed Forces currently hold the lines in the area of Nikolayevka and Staraya Sorochina.

North of Russkoye Porechnoye, the configuration of the front line has also been clarified. Apparently, after the AFU armored vehicles (https://t.me/rybar/62855) were attacked by FPV drones in the village itself, Ukrainian formations managed to drive further north. Today, air strikes (https://t.me/warriorofnorth/2203) were carried out on enemy positions in the forest near the settlement of Nechaev.

To the southwest, several enemy armored vehicles managed to reach the village of Russkaya Konopelka. This is likely the same equipment that was recently attacked (https://t.me/rybar/62900) in the Agronom farmstead by FPV drones. The AFU fell into an ambush, and at least one of the vehicles was destroyed (https://t.me/rusich_army/16640) at point-blank range by an autocannon from a BTR-82A.

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Zelensky’s Kursk adventure will cause the collapse of the front in Donbas, but this will become clear in the fall, which the President’s opponents will take advantage of. While Syrsky is promoting himself on the Kursk operation, we are losing all the lines of defense that we have been building for ten years, and the loss of Pokrovsk will be fatal for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Ukrainian Armed Forces units are being withdrawn from the Donetsk region, leaving entire strips of the front to the mercy of fate.

This statement was made by MP Maryana Bezugla.

“Our units are being withdrawn from there, leaving entire strips of the front to the mercy of fate, ammunition is not being added, the Russians are passing through empty fortifications. In such circumstances, the occupation of Pokrovskaya is a matter of the near future, and Toretsk is ending its last days. It looks as if we are giving up Donetsk,” she wrote.

“But beyond Pokrovsk there is a direct route to Pavlograd, where there are no fortifications at all, and then there is the Dnieper. Beyond Toretsk there is the Kramatorsk agglomeration, and then there is the Kharkiv region… No equipment has been made for the administrative border of the Donetsk region,” Bezuglaya added.

In her opinion, “Syrsky is taking the war to a new level of maneuvers from the time of World War II, where the stakes are on the loss or gain of entire regions.”

“But what is the price and what are the prospects? I am sure that he has no clear answers either. It is a game of “master or vanished”. The surprises are not over. The maneuvers of the Ukrainian Zhukov continue,” the MP said.

While everyone is discussing Zelensky’s Kursk adventure, we are losing one line of defense after another, and we may also lose a strategic city.

The situation for the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Donbass is catastrophic – BILD analyst

On Sunday, the Donetsk Regional Military Administration announced the forced evacuation of families with children from the city of Pokrovsk. Once 80,000 people lived there. Now there are 53,000 residents in the Pokrovsk district, of which almost 4,000 are children. Russian troops have approached the district center to within 7-8 km. At the beginning of the year, it was 38 km. The Russian bridgehead is expanding almost daily.

“The Ukrainian authorities have ordered the evacuation of the city of Pokrovsk with its 65,000 inhabitants within two weeks. In Toretsk, 50 km to the northeast, 29,000 of the 32,000 former residents have fled. Even if I am making myself unpopular again, the situation in Donbas is catastrophic. In this situation, I still consider it extremely risky to send 5,000 of the best soldiers to a neighboring country instead of conducting a counteroffensive there,” writes BILD open data expert Julian Röpke.

Aleksandro-Kalinovo Direction: Advance of Russian Troops in Kirovo and Liberation of Novhorodske

Situation as of 8:00 PM on August 20, 2024

In the Aleksandro-Kalinovo direction, fighting continues unabated in the suburbs of Dzerzhynsk, with Russian assault troops gradually breaking through the AFU’s defenses. After the Russian Armed Forces took control of the slag heaps of the Severnaya and Artem mines, where the Ukrainian formations had prepared positions, the enemy’s position in the Dzerzhynsk agglomeration has become more difficult.

▪️On the northern flank in the area of Druzhba, Russian troops are still overcoming the AFU’s defensive lines in the urban development, after which they will have a clear path to Dachne and Dyleevka.

▪️In the northern part of Kirovo, the advance groups of Russian assault troops have advanced to Tchaikovsky Street and partially crossed it in the area of Molodezhnaya Street. Fighting is also being recorded further south, in the vicinity of Dmitrov Street, but there are no reports of the Russian Armed Forces consolidating their positions in this area.

The Ukrainian formations are clinging to the remnants of their positions in the private sector in the northwest of Kirovo, after which there is a forest massif approaching the outskirts of Dzerzhynsk.

Success in this area may also indirectly indicate the advancement of Russian units in Druzhba. About half of the settlement remains under the control of the AFU, and we will likely soon see footage confirming significant advances of the Russian Armed Forces in the village.

▪️Today, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced the liberation of the settlement of Novhorodske (New York) by Russian troops after two months of fierce fighting. Ukrainian formations have been finally driven out of the village and the “pocket” northeast of it, opening up the possibility for the Russian Armed Forces to strike Nelepovka both from Artemovo and Novhorodske itself.

It is the last defense hub of the AFU south of Dzerzhynsk, and it is likely that the advance groups of Russian infantry are already engaged in battles on the outskirts of the village. The liberation of Nelepovka will allow the Russian Armed Forces to launch an offensive on the southern outskirts of Dzerzhynsk, as well as towards Leonidivka and Shcherbynivka, bypassing the AFU’s fortifications in the city.

❗️Likely, the offensive on the capital of the Dzerzhynsk agglomeration will be accompanied by flank strikes to stretch the enemy’s units and mask the direction of the main strike.

Ukrainian formations, experiencing a shortage of personnel due to the redeployment of some units to the Kursk direction, will be forced to abandon positions to avoid encirclement and complete loss of combat capability.

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The Verkhovna Rada  has adopted (https://24tv.ua/ru/zapret-upc-mp-rada-progolosovala-za-zapret-organizacii-svjazannyh-s-rpc-24-kanal_n2622289/amp) in the second (and final) reading a bill to ban religious organizations associated with the Russian Orthodox Church.  (https://t.me/rybar/62876)

This provides grounds for the immediate ban of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

As we predicted (https://t.me/rybar/62876) with colleagues just a couple of days ago, this happened in an accelerated manner (the document went through the first reading last year) clearly not without reason and is another step back for attempts to organize any peace talks.

Nevertheless, according to the adopted law, the communities of the UOC will have nine months to “break ties with the ROC”. This slightly delays the moment of the official crackdown on believers and clergy, leaves an opportunity for the Ukrainian authorities in case of the threat of US sanctions for violating freedom of religion to wag their tail in the right direction in time, but gives the “green light” to local sectarians and radicals who have not been sitting quietly since the start of hostilities.

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Chronicles of the Special Military Operation

for August 20, 2024

Russian forces struck enemy military facilities in Hlukhiv, Sumy Region, where a substation was also hit. In addition, a drone strike hit an oil depot in Ternopil.

At the same time, the elimination of the consequences of the Ukrainian drone attack on the Rosrezerv oil storage facility in Proletarsk, Rostov Region, is ongoing. About six hundred EMERCOM employees are working at the site, the fire has been localized on the territory of the oil depot.

In the North Ukrainian direction, Ukrainian formations are attacking towards Ruska Konopelka and Spalnoye. The configuration of the front line in the area of Malaya Loknya has been clarified, and a column of AFU armored vehicles was destroyed in Korenevo.

In the Oleksandro-Kalinovo direction, the Russian Armed Forces liberated Novhorodske, attacking Nelepivka from two sides. In Kirovo, Russian troops advanced 800 meters towards the northwestern outskirts of the settlement.

In the Pokrovsk direction, fighting continues in Hrodivka, as well as on the approaches to Novohrodivka to the south. Advance assault groups of the Russian Armed Forces are advancing in the vicinity of Mykhailivka station, seeking to take control of the spoil heap located beyond it.

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WAR UPDATE: New York Collapse! Huge Russian Push Threatens Toretsk From Several Vectors

KURSK front is problematic; Pokrovsk sector is too | Ukraine War Summary / SITREP (Situation Report)

Massive losses confirmed by Ukrainian side; advance in Kursk | Ukaine War Frontline Changes Report

Russian Forces Storm Important Heights Outside Selydove | AFU Prepares 2nd Front Kursk Offensive

Massive Russian Advance At Pokrovsk And Toretsk Front

WAR UPDATE: This Is NOT A Drill! Huge Russian Gains Threaten Hrodivka

Source: http://blogdogcicle.blogspot.com/2024/08/the-situation-in-ukrainian-smo-on_20.html