On Tuesday, Moscow claimed that approximately 300 Ukrainian soldiers from the 22nd Mechanized Brigade launched a cross-border attack into a previously quiet area of the front. Reports indicate fighting occurred as deep as six miles (10 km) inside Russian territory.
According to Russia’s Ministry of Defence, the attack began at 8 a.m., with Ukrainian forces reportedly supported by 11 tanks and over 20 armored fighting vehicles. The conflict was reported to have occurred between the border villages of Nikolayevo-Daryino and Oleshnya in the Kursk region, reaching as far as Sudzha, 10 km from the frontline. Overhead footage captured two strikes on Russian trailers carrying tanks.
Despite Russia’s claim of repelling the attack, there are reports from Russian military bloggers and social media imagery suggesting a significant Ukrainian assault. The extent of the attack’s sustainability remains uncertain.
Rybar, a prominent Russian military blogger, reported that the situation in the Kursk region remained tense with ongoing battles in border areas. The blogger noted that recent footage indicated Ukrainian forces had made some advances.
This assessment contrasts with Moscow’s initial statement, which claimed the attack had been thwarted. According to the Ministry of Defence, after suffering losses, the Ukrainian group retreated to their territory, with some fighters attempting to hold positions near the state border but being blocked by Russian forces.
Ukraine’s political leaders and Ministry of Defence have not yet provided a detailed response. However, Andrii Kovalenko, head of an anti-disinformation department at Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, acknowledged the attack and suggested it had not been completely defeated. Kovalenko criticized Russian claims, stating, “Russian soldiers are misrepresenting the situation in the Kursk region. Russia does not control the border.”
The motivation behind the attack may be to divert Russian forces from other parts of the front that have been relatively inactive since spring 2022 and to boost domestic morale in Ukraine. Critics in Ukraine argue that such attacks may lack long-term strategic value, citing previous attacks by anti-Kremlin Russian groups from Ukraine into Belgorod and Kursk regions in March, which were repelled without significant gains.
Earlier on Tuesday, Alexei Smirnov, acting governor of the Kursk region, reported that Russian soldiers and FSB forces had repelled the Ukrainian attack, resulting in three Russian civilian deaths and 18 injuries. Russia also claimed to have conducted airstrikes on Ukrainian armored units and moved reserve forces to reinforce the frontline, destroying 16 enemy armored units, including six tanks.
The accuracy of these casualty figures remains unverified, as initial battlefield reports often contain exaggerations.