The situation in the Ukrainian SMO on August 7 2024

Ukrainian Kursk Offensive Captures 50SQKM In 1 Day | Surprise Offensive Caught RUAF Off Guard

AFU Capture Additional 90 SQKM During Kursk Offensive | Diversion or Massive Offensive?

Ukrainian Kursk Offensive Goes ALL IN | 300SQKM Captured | AFU At The Gates of Sudzha

Massive Ukrainian Advance l Ukrainian Kursk Offensive Begins l Russia Destroyed Multiple Vehicles

RUSSIA, Stop! Your Overconfidence On The BATTLEFIELD Can Play a Cruel Joke With You!

Putin calls emergency meeting as Ukraine launches its biggest cross-border raid into Russia

Putin Slams “Provocation” As Ukraine Raids Russia’s Kursk

KURSK-ing the NIU-YORK collapse! | Ukraine War Military Summary / SITREP / Situation Report / Update

Kursk Direction: Relative Stabilization of the Front Line

What is known as of the end of August 7, 2024

The situation in the Kursk Region remains quite difficult in the Sudzha and Korenevo districts. In the evening, the regional authorities declared a state of emergency in the region. Evacuation of the population continues in several settlements. However, according to fragmentary information, they were partially able to stop the raids of enemy sabotage and reconnaissance groups and prevent further wide-scale advancement.

▪️Ukrainian formations have occupied the western half of Sudzha. At the moment, the line of contact runs along the dam area – it is a lowland through which a rather small river Sudzha flows.

At the same time, on the Russian side, local militia units are also defending this area, tasked with preventing the penetration of AFU units into the eastern part of the city. The next line of defense of the Russian troops runs along the railway tracks.

▪️The civilian population fled the destroyed city throughout the day. By evening, the activity of enemy sabotage and reconnaissance groups was recorded at the eastern exit, the roads around the administrative center were under the control of the enemy, and small arms battles began in the city.

At the same time, footage is circulating on the Internet that allegedly confirms the absence of Ukrainian formations in Sudzha. One of them is the “current” report (https://t.me/riakursk/23276) of Izvestia, however, it was published (https://t.me/izvestia/181081) this morning, and could have been filmed even earlier.

📌 It is only possible to guess why such an awkward anti-crisis was made, who came up with it in the era of OSINT and the ability to think. Unfortunately, in reality, this only causes irritation.

▪️On the section of the highway northeast of Sudzha, a Ukrainian drone attacked a car in which military correspondent Yevgeny Poddubny was traveling: he was evacuated (https://t.me/rybar/62540) in serious condition to a local hospital, but military correspondent Alexander Kots confirmed (https://t.me/sashakots/48261) that Poddubny is conscious and alive.

▪️In the northwestern sector, Russian troops repelled an attack by the enemy on the section of the Rylsk – Sudzha highway near the working settlement of Korenevo. Ukrainian formations retreated to their initial positions with losses. To the south, Russian Armed Forces units are engaged in intense battles on the line Loknya – Nikolsky – Viktorovka – Kruglenoye.

Apparently, Ukrainian formations are trying to break through to Malaya Loknya, from where they can then move towards Lgov along the highway: there they have already started (https://t.me/rybar/62537) setting up additional defense lines and planned evacuation of the population in case of a breakthrough by the enemy.

▪️In the evening, footage appeared on the Internet showing (https://t.me/boris_rozhin/132695) Russian prisoners of war being escorted to the Ukrainian side through the Sudzha CPIP. With a high degree of probability, the bulk of them are conscripts who engaged in combat.

Situation in Kursk Region – What is Known as of 1 PM

Throughout the night and morning, Ukrainian formations attempted to expand the territory under their control in Kursk Region. According to the latest information, since the start of the offensive, AFU units have occupied several settlements in the region.

▪️In the northwestern sector, the enemy reached the outskirts of Leonidovka along the Rylsk – Sudzha highway, where Ukrainian formations came under fire (https://t.me/dva_majors/48991) from Russian troops and suffered losses in manpower and equipment.

Simultaneously, AFU units advanced more than 3 kilometers from the line of Nikolayevo – Daryino – Nizhny Klyn, establishing control over Obukhovskaya, Pokrovskoye, Tolsty Lug and Lyubimovka.

▪️In the southeast, the enemy captured the Sudzha gas metering station, through which gas transit to Europe through the territory of the so-called Ukraine is carried out. The facility is located in close proximity to the checkpoint of the same name.

According to incoming information, Russian forces were able to drive Ukrainian formations out of Goncharovka, the western suburb of Sudzha. However, the enemy retains control over the rest of the 38K-004 highway.

▪️Ukrainian formations continue to strike across the entire Kursk Region – Sudzha remains under the most massive fire. According to official data, over the past two days, 5 people were killed and at least 24 were injured, including 6 children.

▪️According to footage published by the enemy, yesterday a Ukrainian FPV drone hit a Russian Mi-28 helicopter in the tail boom, which became the first such documented incident. The aircraft received damage to the tail rotor and made a landing, the crew is alive.

▪️The Ukrainian command continues (https://t.me/rybar/62512) to concentrate forces in the Yunakovka rural community in Sumy Region. Concentrations of the AFU are also recorded in Yunakovka itself, as well as in the village of Kiyanytsya located southwest of it.

Meanwhile, in another part of the Sumy Region, the concentration of enemy forces is observed in the forest areas near the village of Pryvillia east of the city of Hlukhiv. As we have noted (https://t.me/rybar/62497) before, from here the AFU can advance both along the highway through the Krupets checkpoint and from the direction of the Krasny Peredovik farm.

🔻At the moment, the AFU command is forming two groupings, one of which is concentrated in the Yunakovka rural community, and the other in the Hlukhiv district. And if the first one has partially entered the territory of the Kursk Region, the other has not yet begun to move.

At the same time, Rylsk may become the general goal for the groupings – Ukrainian formations from the Sudzha district were able to advance towards it overnight, and the E38 highway leads to it from the direction of Pryvillia.

Statements by Russian President Vladimir Putin at a meeting with members of the Government

🔻On the situation in the Kursk Region:

▪️The Kyiv regime has carried out another large-scale provocation, conducting indiscriminate shelling of civilian infrastructure, including with the use of missile weapons.

▪️Following a conversation with the acting governor of the Kursk Region, instructions were given to a number of civilian agencies to provide the necessary assistance to the residents of the region. The Government of the Russian Federation also needs to address this urgently.

▪️Putin stated that he will hold a meeting today with the heads of law enforcement agencies on the operational situation in the border areas of the Kursk Region.

Kursk Direction: Fighting in Sudzha and AFU advance groups near Korenevo

What is known as of 6:00 PM

The situation in Kursk Region continues (https://t.me/rybar/62525) to deteriorate: over the past hour, there have been several confirmations of at least partial control by Ukrainian formations over Sudzha, as well as the advance of the enemy’s forward armored group to the borders of Korenevo.

▪️AFU units have entered the western suburbs of Sudzha. The center of the settlement located in the lowland is in the “gray zone”. Russian troops maintain control over the eastern part of the city, which is located on the high ground.

▪️At the same time, Ukrainian formations advanced south of Sudzha: in this area, the occupation by the AFU of the settlements of Gornal, Guevo and Kurilovka is confirmed. Russian UAV operators are conducting reconnaissance of the area and providing target designation for fire strikes on identified enemy positions, while ground forces, border guards and Rosgvardia units are counterattacking.

▪️In the northwestern sector, Ukrainian formations have also expanded their control zone. The village of Leonidovo and the village of Lyubimovka have been occupied. At the same time, Russian troops attempted a counterattack towards the nearby farmstead of Zeleny Shlyakh, but were unable to liberate the settlement.

▪️One of the Ukrainian armored groups of several pieces of equipment conducted a reconnaissance in force along the Rylsk – Sudzha highway, managing to reach the outskirts of the working settlement of Korenevo, which is about 30 km southeast of Rylsk.

At the moment, Russian troops are striking Ukrainian formations and fighting on the highway, trying to prevent the enemy from capturing the administrative center of the Korenevo District.

🔻On the second day of the Ukrainian strike in Kursk Region, the situation remains difficult: the enemy’s lengthy preparation for the strike, unfortunately, has borne fruit. Enemy engineering equipment is being sent to the parts of Russian territory occupied by the AFU to set up defensive fortifications.

But capturing and holding territory are two completely different tasks, so history will put everything in its place.

📌Nevertheless, the AFU’s media victory against the backdrop of their massive failures in the Donetsk People’s Republic is temporary: alas, there are also videos (https://t.me/rybar/62531) of captured Russian servicemen, and evidence (https://t.me/rybar/62525) of successful advancement deep into Russian territory.

Dozens of armored vehicles, hundreds of enemy troops, artillery support – this is not a recon group. This is a combined arms grouping, covered by air defense.

The enemy has long been preparing a breakthrough of the border, looking for our weak points. It is clear why it happened that there were not enough of our troops and equipment in the potentially dangerous direction, and the first strike, as in June 1941, was taken by not our most serious grouping, and without enough equipment. However, it is now more important to quickly curb the consequences of individual decisions that, to put it mildly, were not entirely correct.

Yesterday’s events once again showed the importance of Telegram as a means of military communication. The military exchanged operational information in the messenger. I can imagine how it would have been if the officers had lost their means of communication (smartphones and tablets). The need for a military messenger is becoming increasingly obvious, as is the development of a closed army radio communication.

The enemy will certainly try to do two things. First of all, to consolidate in the Kursk region, create a bridgehead, similar to Krynky. The enemy, despite the loss of personnel, will try to maintain at least a small territory of the region under its control. All the efforts of the AFU are now aimed at this.

I won’t be surprised if they drag Ponomarev or someone else from our traitors there, so that they, sitting under the BChB flag, in a house taken from the local residents, would portray the government of the “new free Russia”. This would be very much in the style of Western intelligence. Here, they say, is the legitimate authority. The West doesn’t care about Ponomarev if he even disappears under a bomb, it would be the perfect option for the enemy’s intelligence services. They got rid of a problematic client, and they can create the image of a martyr, and Yashin is still in reserve. Profit.

This is obviously not the last attack on our territory. As my colleagues rightly write, the direction of the strike may be the Belgorod region and the Zaporizhia NPP. There may also be attempts to disrupt the logistics of Southern Russia. The enemy is not stupid, NATO and the US satellite constellation are working for him. More precisely, our enemy is NATO. The AFU is just a NATO tool.

Against the backdrop of failures in the Donetsk direction, and the possible change of power in Washington (by the way, in New York under Donetsk), Kyiv needs to demonstrate some successes. And in addition, against the background of rumors of a ceasefire, the Ukrainian authorities want to get negotiating positions from which, as they think, it will be more profitable to bargain. But as my colleagues rightly reminded, all previous attempts to do something similar, with the capture of our territory, ended in failure for the AFU. Two brigades of the Ukrainian Navy were killed at Krynky. And now the attempt with the Kursk region has already cost the enemy serious losses. And they will be even greater, in any case, army aviation has already done serious combat work for this. And other units involved in the elimination of AFU militants are also working.

It’s too early to draw conclusions, and the situation in the Kursk border area will definitely remain difficult for several more days. The enemy is pulling up reserves, hoping to develop the breakthrough. But this will not help him. It will create serious difficulties for us, but it will not help. All those who came to us with weapons in their hands will die. Sooner or later. But their end will be like that. 

MedvedevVesti

Situation in Kursk Region – What is Known as of 01:00

The situation remains difficult in the Sudzha district of Kursk Region. According to our sources, Ukrainian formations have managed to entrench themselves in the border area, despite intense strikes and attacks by Russian forces.

▪️In the northwestern sector, enemy units have occupied the settlements of Nikolayevo-Daryino, Daryino, and Sverdlikovo. The line of control on the Rylsk-Sudzha highway is unknown: apparently, after the destruction (https://t.me/rybar/62503) of an armored group, Ukrainian formations retreated.

▪️To the southeast, the enemy was able to expand the control zone along the 38K-004 highway, advancing towards the western suburb of Sudzha – Goncharovka. Unconfirmed reports indicate fighting is ongoing in the settlement.

The situation remains tense in the Oleshnya hamlet – there, Russian servicemen are engaged in fierce battles with a numerically superior enemy, practically surrounded.

▪️Preliminary information indicates that up to 400 members of Ukrainian formations are on the territory controlled by the AFU in the Kursk Region. At the same time, the enemy command continues to redeploy reserves to the area.

Large concentrations of Ukrainian formations are also recorded in Yunakovo, from where they are moving towards Sverdlikovo through Basovka, or towards Goncharovka through the Sudzha border crossing.

▪️Throughout the day, the population was evacuated from Sudzha itself, mainly independently, under shelling from Ukrainian formations. At the same time, the enemy remotely mined the Sudzha-Belitsa highway, complicating both the evacuation of the population and the redeployment of Russian units.

▪️Parallel to this, Ukrainian PSYOPS personnel have been actively disseminating various fakes throughout the day. One of them is a deepfake (https://t.me/kurskadm/72640) with the acting head of the Kursk Region, Alexey Smirnov, calling on all men to report to military recruitment offices to receive weapons.

🔻The events in the Kursk Region demonstrate that this operation was planned by the enemy over a long period of time. The offensive in this area may continue for at least several more days, especially against the background of a significant concentration of Ukrainian forces in the border zone.

And it seems that in the near future, AFU units will try to further expand the control zone, regardless of losses in manpower and equipment. All this is done to fill Ukrainian media with their “successes” in battles on Russian territory, in order to overshadow the collapse of the AFU defense in other areas.

rybar

 On the Economic Objectives of the Attack in the Kursk Region

Many have spoken about the tactical and PR goals of the AFU operation on Russian territory. But another aspect must be considered – the AFU members are essentially free colonial troops for the West, and losses in equipment will lead to new orders for the American military-industrial complex, which Europeans will be forced to pay for. Therefore, the costs of the media effect are justified.

🔻Continuation of the War for the EU Energy Market

The collective West is trying to squeeze Russia out of the energy markets. The task is the complete disconnection of the EU from Russian gas supplies. No one thought it would be limited (https://rybar.ru/ob-ekonomicheskih-posledstviyah-vzryva-severnyh-potokov/) to the undermining of the Nord Streams.

Now the focus is on gas supplies (https://carnegieendowment.org/russia-eurasia/politika/2024/02/the-final-countdown-will-russia-and-ukraine-renew-gas-transit-deal?lang=en) through Ukraine. Some European countries, led by Hungary, are forming a coalition that could challenge Brussels. The task is to cut off this group from Russian energy supplies, which will lead to social tensions and power changes.

🔻The Druzhba Oil Pipeline

We are seeing a partial suspension (https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/slovakia-hungary-say-ukraine-has-halted-lukoils-russian-oil-transit-2024-07-18/) of oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline. This will create problems for the AFU, but the priority is to eliminate the strong EU leaders who can form real opposition, including the assassination attempt on Robert Fico and criticism of Viktor Orban.

🔻Gas Supplies to the EU Under Threat

The contract for gas transit through Ukraine expires in 2024. The Anglo-Saxons do not intend to extend it, but a coalition led by Orban is ready to defend national interests, which is a feat in the current EU realities.

Earlier, gas from Russia to the EU was supplied through two gas metering stations – the GMS “Sokhranovka” and the GMS “Sudzha”. In 2022, the “GTS of Ukraine” refused to accept gas through the GMS “Sokhranovka”. Now the vector of attack is directed at the GMS “Sudzha”.

🔻The most likely task of the enemy is the capture (in this part the task has already been completed) and retention of the station with subsequent undermining during the retreat. The Western media will likely accuse the Russian side of the undermining. There will be enough formal arguments to accuse Russian suppliers of disrupting gas supplies to the EU before the winter season.

The enemy will not count the losses. For the sake of the possibility of complete economic strangulation of the EU and the economic isolation of Russia, any level of losses, especially in colonial troops, is acceptable.

What is important to understand about the Kursk region 

🔺The fighting on the state border has been going on all night, but the active phase, including the main part of the response activities, is expected to start from today. 

What is happening now in the Kursk region?

After the night fighting and the first significant losses in men and equipment, the AFU appears to have transferred a reserve of one or two battalions with additional weapons. Total strength varies, but is estimated at 700-850 men on average. Since yesterday evening there have been reports that during the raid the AFU managed to enter the border villages of Daryino, Nikolayevo-Daryino and Sverdlikovo, but there is still no objective control (in particular, video) confirming this information. Until this information is confirmed, it is at least premature to accept it as true.

What is the nature of the fighting?

Heavy, positional. Artillery is active on both sides. In addition to the special forces, the North group’s Iskander missile defense systems are actively operating along the border. There were so many launches last night that the main difficulty is to reload the launchers quickly.

At the same time, the Ukrainian side is repeating the same mistake as last time – the lack of aviation and generally “heavy” air support, as in the two previous attempts to attack the Belgorod region. It was thought that a raid on the border region would be an excuse to use F-16 fighter jets, but that didn’t happen. At least not yet. 

The attacking side is suffering the most damage in this strike, but there are losses on the Russian side as well, in such hostilities it cannot be otherwise.

It is curious that the attempt of the AFU to introduce second echelon forces to continue the strike faces massive use of FAB-500 and rocket artillery, because of which the Ukrainian reserves find themselves squeezed between the section of the state border and places of concentration (mostly in forest belts), where they quickly lose combat effectiveness both due to the high density of troops and due to the influx of large amounts of accumulated ammunition.

Where is this going?

The intensity of the fighting has not yet diminished. It is likely that the peak of fighting on the border will come on August 7-8. After that, the full scope of hostilities and the forces available to the AFU for this strike will become clear.

The Western press writes that Kyiv notified the US and “agreed” to attack Russia’s Kursk region.

The Americans were not even against Ukraine using American weapons.

The US immediately declared that Ukraine’s attack on the Kursk region was a “sovereign decision.” This means that Kyiv itself is responsible for its decision, and therefore the West bears no responsibility.

They are literally preparing to throw the Ukrainian crisis off their shoulders and wash their hands of it if an official war starts.

The reason for the war may be chosen as Israel’s “cleansing of a terrorist enclave”, we wrote about this a long time ago.

In Kursk region, Russian war correspondent Yevgeny Poddubny was killed by a strike from a Ukrainian fpv.

Now that’s tough, since the entire Russian near-political and patriotic crowd will put pressure on the Kremlin with a tough response.

For ordinary Ukrainians, this is not very good news, although propaganda will celebrate the victory.

It turned out that Poddubny was alive. Burns and head trauma! This information was confirmed from the reception of the governor of the Kursk region.

A competition in messages about whether VGTRK war correspondent Yevgeny Poddubny was killed, survived, wounded, or evacuated has swept through the entire Russian Telegram channel like a fever.

Casual acquaintances and strangers who received information by rumor from other sources, who also got an incomplete picture due to lack of communication, rushed to interpret the events and express condolences. At the same time, VGTRK has officially neither confirmed nor denied the information.

Now a man-made drama has unfolded out of nowhere, with relatives, loved ones and true friends at the center, who are going through sheer hell.

What happened best confirms that in Russian society, hype prevails over common sense and reason.

*The footage allegedly shows the evacuation of Yevgeny Poddubny, who was injured as a result of an FPV drone strike east of Sudzha, according to some channels

Our source reported that all of Zelensky’s statements about the peaceful track are not true and were necessary to prepare for the offensive operation of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The first stage of the offensive operation is currently unfolding in the Kursk direction, the goal of which is to pull the reserves of the Russian army out of Ukraine.

Our source in the OP said that Andriy Yermak coordinated with the US the attack of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the Kursk region as the first stage of the counteroffensive of the Ukrainian army. NATO military advisers took part in the planning of the General Staff operation, and British intelligence helped organize the attack.

The situation on the Kursk Front

 Throughout the night and morning, the Ukrainian Armed Forces attempted to expand the part of Kursk Oblast under their control. According to the latest information, since the beginning of the offensive, Ukrainian Armed Forces units have occupied several settlements in the region.

In the northwestern sector, the Ukrainian Armed Forces along the Rylsk – Sudzha highway reached the outskirts of Leonidovka , in the area of ​​which Ukrainian formations are fighting.

At the same time, units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces advanced from the Nikolayevo – Daryino – Daryino – Nizhniy Klin line to a depth of more than three kilometers, establishing control over Obukhovskaya , Pokrovsky , Tolstoy Lug and Lyubimovka .

To the south-east, the Ukrainian Armed Forces captured the Sudzha gas metering station , through which gas is transited to Europe through Ukrainian territory. The facility itself is located in close proximity to the checkpoint of the same name.

There are currently intense clashes with the Russian army in Goncharovka, a western suburb of Sudzha . The Ukrainian Armed Forces retain control over the rest of the 38K-004 highway.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces continue to strike throughout the Kursk region ; Sudzha remains under the most intense fire.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces continue to amass forces in the Yunakovka rural community, in Yunakovka , as well as in the village of Kiyanitsa in the Sumy region to maintain a bridgehead in the Kursk region.

Our source in the OP said that today the decision will be made at headquarters whether to continue the Kursk operation and reinforce this attack with the reserves of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which did not achieve its goal, but allows the enemy’s reserves to be pulled out of Ukraine.

Ukrainian forces have captured another 5 settlements in the Kursk region of Russia – Russian sources confirm.

Ukrainian forces have captured Obukhovka, Pokrovskiy, Tolstoy Lug and Liubimovka in the north.

Russian forces also claim Ukraine controls Zeleniy-Shlyakh and Aleksandria – Ukraine has not confirmed advancing this far.

In the center, Ukrainian troops have captured Lebedevka. Russian sources claim Ukrainian troops have reached Loknya – again, Ukraine has not confirmed advancing this far north.

The Ukrainian information side has been very quiet and has blocked comments on this “operation”, indicating this may just be the start. Most of the information comes from the Russian side.

Reflections of comrade Sladkov, comrade Podolyaka, and a number of channels on the possible aspirations of the enemy towards the Kursk NPP are seen.

At the same time, the mathematics of war does not add up for us. That is, the enemy currently has several brigades in the direction. Roughly 10,000 people. According to military science, the depth of their offensive is 10-20 km. But the Kursk NPP is 60 km from the current line of contact and 70 km from the border. 90 km by road. This is already the depth of an entire army’s offensive, requiring 50,000 people at an offensive pace of 10-20 km per day.

That is, based on open data, the enemy is unlikely to have reserves for a move towards the Kursk NPP. And our Ministry of Defense has just said that on the “Kursk direction, the advance of the enemy deep into the territory of the Russian Federation has not been allowed.”

At the same time, the AFU have repeatedly demonstrated the daring nature of their actions, guided not by military expediency, but by political goals.

And of course, thoughts about the Kursk NPP have clearly come to the minds not only of respected military bloggers and war correspondents.

Two Majors

Moscow will accept victims from the Kursk region for treatment.

Aksyonov reported that Crimea is also ready to provide Kursk Oblast with all necessary assistance.

Putin called on the regions to become more actively involved in helping the Kursk region.

It is also reported that as a result of targeted attacks by the enemy in the border areas of the Kursk region, several civilians were killed.

If the hohols somehow break through to the NPP zone, then we will not be able to use aviation and heavy weapons against them. This means that infantry will have to knock them out, given the total, multiple superiority of the hohols in the number of FPVs as of today. And I do not think that the hohols will have any restrictions in the use of weapons.

Yes, 60 km is a lot. But 15 km was still a lot yesterday, and the hohols covered this distance in 24 hours.

I really hope that everyone understands this and measures will be taken.

At the same time, we must understand that the fattest trump card that the hohols have now is not the captured territories. Not drones.

These are our people in the captured territories, whom the hohols will use as a shield and whose evacuation is already being hindered by all means, including murder.

Our source in the OP said that the task of the Kursk operation of the Ukrainian Armed Forces was to go 30 km deeper into Russian territory, using the element of surprise, but by evening it became clear that the plans had failed and that the strategy needed to be adjusted. It is now important for the General Staff to force the enemy to transfer reserves from Ukraine in order to begin the second stage of the operation on the Zaporizhzhya NPP.

Colleagues, our source from the OP and the General Staff warned a week ago about the preparation of a diversionary strike on Russian territory in order to force the enemy to withdraw reserves from Ukraine and open the possibility for an operation on the Zaporizhzhya NPP.

There are currently two Ukrainian Armed Forces brigades in the Kursk direction, which will not allow holding the attack line deep into Russian territory without new forces, which means it is necessary to make a decision on the transfer of new units. Our source reported that the Ukrainian Armed Forces did not achieve their goals yesterday and were unable to take advantage of the surprise effect and break through 30 km deep.

OSINT researcher Intelschizo on why the Ukrainian Armed Forces chose Sudzha for their offensive on Russian territory:

• Sudzha is located in a lowland, while Ukrainian troops are advancing from higher ground. This gives the Ukrainians fire control over important logistical routes.

• From Sudzha to the southeast there is an important railway line that helps supply the Russian group “North”. Establishing Ukrainian fire control over the railway line will significantly weaken the supply of the group, including in its operations in the Kharkov region. In fact, all Russian logistics in the Kursk region will have to go through Belgorod, which is already overloaded with supplies for operations near Kharkov.

• The “North” group was divided into four groups – two were advancing on the Kharkov region, one was concentrated in the Grayvoron area, and another – right in the Sudzha area. In fact, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are advancing on the flank of this group, cutting off supplies to the remaining groups.

• A gas pipeline through which the Russian Federation previously supplied Hungary also passes through Sudzha. Although the pumping of gas through this pipeline stopped with the start of the full-scale war, control over Sudzha gives Ukraine another symbolic lever of pressure on the Hungarian leadership.

Our source in the OP said that Syrsky asked the headquarters for permission to transfer reserves to the Kursk region to hold the bridgehead and advance deeper into Russian territory. The General Staff’s initial plan with a surprise attack did not achieve results; the Ukrainian Armed Forces were unable to advance 30 km into Russian territory on the first day and threaten the Kursk NPP.

The Kremlin was well aware of the plans of the Ukrainian Armed Forces to launch an operation in the Kursk direction, which means we were lured into another campaign that is being used against Ukraine on the international track. Zelensky’s ambitions with the latest offensive could cost the country dearly, and the losses will be dozens of times higher than in the 2023 counteroffensive, which is now being criticized by all experts.

Taynaya_kantselyariya

Our source in the General Staff said that the Ukrainian Armed Forces have transferred two Patriot batteries to the Kursk direction to cover the offensive operation from Russian aviation.

Western media are skeptical about the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ attack on the Kursk region. The New York Times published a large article that clearly sets out the key points.

Ukraine has launched a surprise ground offensive into Russia using troops and armored vehicles in what could be one of the largest incursions by Ukrainian forces into Russian territory in more than two years of war.

The offensive, which began in the Kursk region, has led to heavy fighting. Russia’s Defense Ministry said at midday on Wednesday that fighting was continuing.

This is not the first time that Ukraine has launched ground attacks across the border with Russia . But while previous attacks were carried out by armed groups of Russian exiles backed by the Kiev army, this time Ukrainian troops were directly involved in the attack on [Kursk Oblast], according to expert Pasi Paroinen of the Black Bird Group. Paroinen stresses that several hundred Ukrainian soldiers, supported by armored vehicles, most likely crossed the border.

Military analysts say the attack could be an attempt to draw Russian troops away from the front lines , easing the pressure on Ukrainian forces. However, experts also point out that the Russian army has sufficient troop reserves to fight, and that the attack risks further stretching Ukraine’s already outnumbered forces.

“From an operational and strategic point of view, this attack makes absolutely no sense,” Paroinen said. “It looks like a gross waste of people and resources that are so badly needed elsewhere,” he added.

The Russian Defense Ministry said up to 300 Ukrainian troops from the 22nd Mechanized Brigade, supported by about 30 tanks and armored fighting vehicles, attacked border units in the Kursk region at about 8 a.m. Tuesday. An expert from the Black Bird Group reported “multiple sightings” of Stryker armored fighting vehicles, which the United States sent to Ukraine last year.

Ukrainian shelling and bombing have targeted the Belgorod, Bryansk and Kursk regions bordering Russia, but cross-border attacks have been rare. The first such attack was carried out last May by anti-Kremlin Russian militants who support Ukraine. A similar ground attack occurred in March of this year.

In both cases, the attacks were seen as an attempt to rouse the Russian public and undermine President Vladimir Putin’s efforts to shield [Russians] from the conflict.

However, Rob Lee, a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, wrote on social media that the [previous] attacks had “little impact on the course of the fighting” in Ukraine and “no major domestic political consequences for Putin.”

He, like other military experts, also stressed that if the aim of this week’s attack was to divert Russian troops from other parts of the front, then it has little chance of success.

“Russia already has more powerful forces and conventional capabilities in the area, better command and control, and it has conscript units that could be deployed but are not being used in Ukraine,” Lee said. “ It is unlikely that this operation will force Russia to withdraw significant forces from Ukraine,” he added.

Our source in the General Staff said that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are expecting reserves to arrive in the Kursk direction to continue the operation deep into Russian territory. The Ukrainian Armed Forces will begin the assault on the city of Sudzha tomorrow morning, and now the Ukrainian military is expecting a cleansing group that should free up the assault units to continue the operation.

Our source in the General Staff said that Syrsky gave the order to withdraw two brigades of the marine landing force from Krynki to prepare for the operation to seize the Zaporizhzhya NPP. The operation was prepared a year ago by British intelligence together with the SBU for the counteroffensive of 2023, but after the blowing up of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station they decided to abandon it, now it has been finalized, and the units have been equipped with the necessary equipment.

Our source in the OP said that Zelensky supported Syrsky’s proposal to transfer two additional brigades to the Kursk direction and advance further into Russian territory. The General Staff’s plan is to force the enemy to stop the offensive on Pokrovsk and transfer reserves from Ukraine to the Kursk direction, after which to begin the main stage of the offensive on the Zaporizhzhya NPP.

Our source reports that the problem of Zelensky’s PR campaign in the Kursk region and the desire to seize the Kursk NPP at the cost of even causing a nuclear catastrophe is of a nature that could lead to a breakdown in negotiations.

The source indicates that another goal of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the British OP is to draw the Russians into an offensive in the Sumy region.

Bankova is currently fighting with infantry, which means it is to their advantage to weaken the Russian “fist” in Donbass, but there is a possibility of failure as a result of the operation, which in a few days will end in nothing but “noise”.

Another goal is to sow panic among peaceful Russians so that they will start to be indignant towards the Kremlin and the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, but here there is a danger that the mood of Russians will, on the contrary, rise to maximum aggression, which will cause a surge of mobilization forces and the worst thing is a real official war, which the Kremlin can declare and then the chances of the Ukrainian Armed Forces will “fall”, and the supply of weapons and aid to Kyiv will be regarded as participation in the war.

Let’s see what this PR will lead to. But Sumy is already getting it, the locals are already feeling it.

Moscow believes that the invasion of the Ukrainian Armed Forces into Russian territory is part of a general plan to prepare for negotiations.

Also, from our side, we expect visits to the Zaporizhzhya region, towards the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant, as well as active attacks on Crimea and attempts to cause damage to the Black Sea Fleet.

If the Ukrainian offensive in Kursk is quickly stopped and thrown back, we should expect new problems at the front. We do not have reserves to conduct such large-scale operations. Therefore, the lack of success on the ground will be compensated for by senseless raids on Crimea, provocations around the bridge, etc.

Zelensky wants to demonstrate his effectiveness and usefulness to the West with such actions. The idea is to wring tranches from the allies for a new counteroffensive and continuation of the war. The idea is to sit down at the negotiating table as a player who “can still do something.” To show the international community that peace is needed not only by us, but first and foremost by Russia.

We are watching this adventure and remind you that any victory eventually became a betrayal. This time we are sure it will be the same.

There is no sabotage and reconnaissance group in the Kursk border area, these are full-fledged army units equipped with heavy equipment, artillery, and aviation. The same ones that the enemy carefully accumulated, weakening sections of the front in the DPR/LPR.

In essence, the enemy is ready for us to take, for example, Slavyansk or Izyum, for him it’s all-in now. Take our territories and try to bargain.

This very assumption of his is already a mistake, no one will bargain with him, he will be destroyed, even despite possible temporary failures.

Zelensky has decided to begin his “peace enforcement operation,” which will end with the death of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and new, much more severe demands from Russia.

Older than Edda

French writer Xavier Moreau on the tasks of the AFU’s sortie: 

They have no chance of taking the city of Kursk. I think we are seeing something similar to what they tried to do in the Kherson area about a year ago. It went on for several months, and we know today, because it was published in the American press, that it cost them 3,000 men, including 710 paratroopers. 

So the goal here is a PR operation, because the situation for the Ukrainian army is catastrophic. Especially after the losses in Avdeevka. The Russians are in the direction of Pokrovsk, and at the moment it seems that nothing can stop them. The situation is also very serious south of the Donetsk People’s Republic front in the area of Ugledar and further north in the area of Chasov Yar. 

So the situation for the Ukrainian army is very bad. So I think this is more of an attempt by the Ukrainian special forces to cheer up the Ukrainian soldiers, the Ukrainian army and to motivate Ukraine’s allies. Obviously, once again, the Kiev army is hoping not to take Kursk, but to take prisoners, to take pictures. But I think it’s going to cost them a lot of money, just like other initiatives. They have already lost several pieces of equipment. Again, we’ll have to check if this is true, but they’ve lost two Buk-M1 anti-aircraft systems, which we know Ukraine is very short of.

We read between the lines and understand that the entire operation was coordinated by the Biden Administration.

White House: US wants to learn more from Ukrainian Armed Forces about their goals for the foray into Kursk Oblast, but supports Ukraine’s actions.

AFU soldiers blame 41st brigade command for failure of Toretsk defense – New York Times

 - According to the soldiers, the offensive began two days after the rotation was completed: the 24th brigade was transferred to Chasov Yar, and the 41st brigade took its place. Military officials say they saw signs of an offensive being prepared and warned the commanders about it.

 - “It was a big mistake that we were removed from there,” noted Sergeant Lyakhovich.

 - As a result, the 41st Brigade was unprepared to defend Toretsk because it was not familiar with the terrain. The brigade commander was criticized for unclear orders and slow reaction to the changing situation.

 - “There were losses in the battalion because of senseless orders from the 41st Brigade’s senior commander,” said Senior Lieutenant Yevhen Strokan, commander of the combat drone platoon of the 206th Territorial Defense Battalion, whose fighters were transferred to the 41st Brigade.

 - “It is already an axiom of war – senior commanders in the vast majority are unable or unwilling to objectively assess the capabilities of their subordinates,” said Roman Kulyak, deputy commander of the 206th battalion.

The Russian Armed Forces are increasing the pace of their offensive on Pokrovsk, their advance is becoming faster, and the number of battles in this direction has exceeded 300 in a week for the first time.

The situation in the Toretsk direction, where the encirclement of the Ukrainian group is looming, is developing difficult for the Ukrainian Armed Forces

ENCIRCLEMENT THREAT TURNS REAL!!! Kursk Offensive Update! | Ukraine War Frontline Changes Report

Our source reports that this night could be very “hot” for Ukraine.

Don’t ignore an air raid siren.

Chronicles of the special military operation

for August 7, 2024

Over the past day, Russian forces struck enemy targets in Khmilnytskyi, Kyiv and Mykolaiv Regions. Ukrainian formations launched several drones at Voronezh, damaging residential buildings, and continue to massively shell and launch missiles towards Kursk and Kurchatov.

In the North Ukrainian direction, the onslaught of the enemy in Kursk Region has not yet been contained: there are battles on the approaches to Korenevo, as well as on the eastern outskirts of Sumy.

In the Oleksandrivka-Kalynivka direction, there are battles on the line of Kirovo and Artemovo, where Ukrainian formations are trying to wedge into the defense of the Russian Armed Forces.

In the South Donetsk direction, Russian forces are consolidating on the eastern outskirts of Kostiantynivka, advancing northward along the pond and westward into the ruins of the private sector.

rybar