Battle of Kursk II - 20 August 2024 - Day 15
Ukrainian forces’ incursion into the Russian region of Kursk has gained significant ground, with over 1,000 square kilometres reportedly under their control. However, the offensive is slowing as Russian forces put up increased resistance, using drones to disrupt Ukrainian supply lines.
The Russian Ministry of Defense reported the creation of the Belgorod, Kursk, and Bryansk troop groups , formed to defend against Ukrainian attacks. It appears that they will operate on the basis of the previously existing state border group, which later became the North GI.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine are likely to surround the Russian troops near the Seim river in the Kursk region. That’s according to BILD’s analyst Julian Röpcke. As the Armed Forces of Ukraine destroy all the bridges over the Seim river in the north of the Glushkovsk district, they may surround 2000-3000 Russian soldiers if moves 5 kilometres further. The Russians are ready to resist such an offensive, but the situation may get nasty for them if the Ukrainian troops attack from the East where the AFU earlier captured Apanasovka. Previously, the Ukrainians destroyed the last stationary bridge over the river, this was confirmed by the Russian authorities. According to Röpcke, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have already destroyed a pontoon bridge that the Russians attempted to build as well as lots of trucks that were supposed to cross the river and provide the Russian troops that are cut off with supplies.
Ukraine's army chief said its forces have advanced 28-35 kilometres (17 to 22 miles) in Russia's Kursk region while Moscow was moving some of its troops from other directions to strengthen positions there. Oleksandr Syrskyi told a briefing broadcast by national TV that Russia was also sending additional troops to the Pokrovsk region in Ukraine's east, which has seen the most intense fighting of late in Russia's two-and-half-year-old invasion.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces currently control over 1,260 square kilometers of territory and 93 settlements in Russia's Kursk region. Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi said this at a meeting of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities under the President of Ukraine, an Ukrinform correspondent reported. "A grouping of the Defense Forces is conducting an offensive defense on the Kursk axis in order to create a security zone and stop attacks from Russian territory, as well as to overtake the enemy. Since the offensive began in the Kursk region, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have advanced from 28 to 35 kilometers deep into enemy defenses, captured 1,263 square kilometers of territory and gained control of 93 settlements," he said.
Syrskyi stressed that the enemy was conducting a maneuverable defense, trying to prevent the further advance of units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces deep into Russian territory, building up groups of troops and moving forces from other directions. He noted that "further actions of our troops on this axis will depend on the development of the operational situation."
A destroyed reconnaissance group from the 61st mechanized brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces had previously captured Gazprom's GIS "Sudzha" in the Kursk Region.
A strike by an American small-sized high-precision aerial bomb GBU-39B SDB on a border village in the Kursk Region. The Ukrainians destroyed the last bridge across the Seim in the village of Karyzh, Glushkovsky District, Kursk Region. A Ukrainian source published satellite images of induced crossings across the Seim River in the Glushkovsky District, Kursk Region, after the destruction of road bridges with bombs.
Russia’s military said its forces had thwarted attempted Ukrainian attacks on four settlements in its western Kursk region and taken control of what it described as the strategic logistics hub of Niu-York in eastern Ukraine.
More than 122,000 people have left Russia’s Kursk region, where evacuations have been ordered since Ukraine mounted a major incursion two weeks ago, state-run media quoted the emergencies ministry as saying.
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