Russia establishes new military groups along Ukrainian border
The Russian Ministry of Defense has announced the creation of three new military groups named "Belgorod", "Bryansk", and "Kursk". Previously, Russian military groups operated exclusively within Ukraine.
These groups will be overseen by the Coordinating Council for Military Security of Border Territories, as announced on August 20th by Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov. The council includes deputy ministers, regional leaders, and representatives of the Russian General Staff, meeting at least once a week.
Belousov himself heads the council. On Tuesday, the newspaper Kommersant reported that Deputy Defense Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, former head of Ingushetia, has been appointed as the deputy chairman. Yevkurov previously coordinated Russia's military cooperation with friendly regimes in Africa.
Belousov stated that the council's work would be round-the-clock, with regional requests to be addressed within 24 hours. "If the issue cannot be resolved at the local level, the information is escalated to me personally, and I make the decision," the minister asserted.
No information was provided regarding the involvement of Russian General Staff Chief Valery Gerasimov, who has commanded the combined Russian forces in Ukraine since 2023.
On August 6, 2024, Ukrainian Armed Forces crossed the Russian-Ukrainian border near the town of Sudzha in the Kursk region.
By August 10, it was reported that the Ukrainian forces had taken control of the village of Poroz in the Belgorod region. A counter-terrorism operation (CTO) regime has been instituted across the Bryansk, Kursk, and Belgorod regions of Russia, entailing increased security measures, movement restrictions, document checks, and phone monitoring.
On August 12, Ukrainian authorities officially confirmed the participation of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in a special operation in the Kursk region.