The Ukrainian army had seized a portion of Russian territory in the Kursk region by surprise at the beginning of August. But for the past two days, it is the Russians who have resumed the offensive in this sector. The Ukrainian president confirmed this Thursday, September 12, 2024: a counter-offensive is underway. The Russian army seems to be concentrating on the western part of the zone controlled by the Ukrainians.
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With the bridges in the area destroyed by the Ukrainians, the Russians had to build pontoons to cross the Seym River and launch this counter-offensive around the town of Snagosti. For the time being, it is difficult to know more about the advance of the Russian forces. In a statement, the Russian Ministry of Defense claims that the group of troops and the armored vehicles engaged have recaptured ten towns in two days.
” For the moment, we have a Russian armored mechanized column with elements of paratroopers and marine infantry, a few dozen armored vehicles. So it is not a generalized counter-offensive on the whole of the Kursk pocket. It is indeed an effort, probably, to try to open up the encircled district of Glushkovo. It is at the junction between the first Ukrainian lines and the Glushkovo district, which was cut off by regularly breaking bridges, but which was not invaded. “, analyzes Stéphane Audrand, international risk consultant.
Moscow’s reaction in accordance with the Ukrainian plan »
On the Ukrainian side, President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that the Russian counteroffensive had begun, adding however that Moscow’s reaction was ” in accordance with the Ukrainian plan “The Ukrainian army took this pocket of territory along the border by surprise in early August, and claims to control more than 1,000 km2 and a hundred localities.
According to the Kiev authorities, the offensive was aimed, among other things, at creating a buffer zone to protect the civilian population of Sumy, in northern Ukraine, who are subjected to daily Russian bombardments from Kursk airport. The other aim is to thin out the Pokrovsk front, where the Russians continue to try to capture the city – so far without success, despite a rapid advance, reports Alexander Maillard-Quéryour correspondent in kyiv.
Do the Ukrainians have the means to contain this counter-offensive of the Russia ? Or can we expect the Russian army to quickly regain lost ground? It will depend on the amount of troops that the Russian army can launch to fuel its effort. For the moment, what we see is this effort to open up the Glushkovo district. At this stage, we do not know if there will be other echelons that will continue the counter-offensive. “, also believes Stéphane Audrand, the international risk consultant.
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