Ukrainian Forces advance in Russia's Kursk region
Ukrainian Forces are believed to have advanced into a village north of Sudzha in Russia's Kursk region, according to analysts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Successes are also possible in at least four other settlements, they added.
Ukrainian troops have launched a new offensive in the Kursk region, actively engaging on three fronts around Sudzha. Utilizing mechanized units, Ukrainian forces have advanced near Berdyn and are suspected to have reached the southern outskirts of the settlement. Particularly worrisome for Russia is the increased activity by Ukrainian forces, ISW noted in their January 5 report.
ISW analysts reviewed reports from Russian military bloggers detailing the Ukrainian offensives in the Kursk region. Based on these reports and on-ground videos, they identified three main directions of these new attacks, with Ukrainian forces advancing northwest of Sudzha near Leonidovo, northeast near Berdyn, and east near Pushkarne.
Reports suggest Ukrainians employed an armored battalion near Berdyn, launching three waves of attacks, according to ISW. Russian military bloggers insist that Ukrainians reached the southern fringes of the settlement. South of Pushkarne, assaults were reportedly led by a single mechanized platoon, while near Leonidovo, in the area of Nikoľskoe and Alexandria, attacks were executed by a company. Additionally, military bloggers on Telegram claim Ukrainian forces have taken control in four more locations—Chervone Polechnoe, Martynovka, Mykhailivka, and Novosotnitskoie.
Highlighting these successes, Russian war bloggers relayed "concerns," analysts noted, suspecting that current Ukrainian offensives may be "feint efforts." ISW states further analysis is required to understand the full scope of Ukraine's defense strategies.
ISW's report mentions 11 locations involved in the offensive, or under Ukrainian control, including Berdyn, Novosotnitskoie, Leonidovo, Chervone Polechnoe, Martynovka, Mykhailivka, Nova Sorychyna, Nikoľskoe, Alexandria, Russkaya Konopelka, and Pushkarne.
Ukraine's general staff has yet to comment on potential operations in the Kursk region.
Notably, on January 5, Andriy Yermak, head of the President’s Office, confirmed Ukraine's new offensive in the Kursk region via Telegram. Official reports from the frontlines within Russian territory describe "good news." According to Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Counteracting Disinformation, the attack caught Russians by surprise.
Meanwhile, a Forbes report suggests that both Ukrainian and Russian forces are escalating operations in the Kursk region simultaneously. The article notes that Russian forces were first to act, attempting an assault on the northwest flank near Leonidovo, though Ukrainian forces are also believed to have advanced to some degree near Berdyn. Russian offensives involved 40 armored vehicles and were unsuccessful, while Ukrainian forces utilized armored trucks, infantry fighting vehicles, and engineers, Forbes reported.