A State of Emergency has been declared in Russia’s Kursk region following an unusual Ukrainian cross-border attack on Wednesday. Acting regional governor Alexei Smirnov stated that the emergency was necessary to address the consequences of the invasion. Russian officials report at least five civilian deaths and 31 injuries, including six children, since the incursion began.
On Tuesday, up to 1,000 Ukrainian troops, 11 tanks, and over 20 armored vehicles entered Russia near Sudzha. The fighting affected several villages, leading to restrictions on movement and the cancellation of public events. Air alerts were issued, and fighter jets were observed over the region with smoke rising from the ground. Thousands have been evacuated, and additional doctors are being mobilized.
Read more: Ukraine has Received its First Delivery of F-16 Jets
Ukrainian MP Oleksiy Honcharenko claimed that the Ukrainian army has taken control of the Sudzha gas hub, a critical facility for Russian gas transit to the EU. This claim has not been independently verified but is the first confirmation of such an incursion by a Ukrainian official. Honcharenko suggested that the incursion aims to demonstrate that Russia can be attacked and to pressure Russia into shifting its military focus.
The incursion presents a significant challenge for Russia’s new defense minister, Andrei Belousov, who took over from Sergei Shoigu in May. Honcharenko believes this move could compel Russia to relocate troops, potentially reducing their ability to attack eastern Ukraine. In response, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the U.S. was unaware of the attack beforehand but would support Ukraine’s defense against Russian aggression.
Intense clashes reported in Sudzha
During a televised meeting with officials on Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine of carrying out a “major provocation” by indiscriminately attacking civilian buildings and residences. Russia’s Chief of General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, reported that the Ukrainian advance into the Kursk region had been halted, with Russian forces actively combating the enemy near the Russian-Ukrainian border. Gerasimov claimed that Ukrainian forces were targeting the area around Sudzha and that Russia had already killed 100 and wounded 215.
However, pro-war Telegram channels suggest that the situation may be less stable than the Kremlin portrays. Blogger Yuri Kotenok described the fighting in Sudzha and Korenevo as “heavy,” while the Rybar channel reported that conditions around Sudzha were worsening and Ukrainian forces were making advances. These claims have not been independently verified by the News.
The Rybar channel also criticized Russian military leaders for failing to act on information over the past two months. The Russian National Guard has reportedly enhanced security at the Kursk nuclear power plant, located about 70 km northeast of Sudzha.
According to the Institute for the Study of War, recent footage shows Ukrainian armored vehicles advancing 10 km into the Kursk region. In the nearby Belgorod region, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov issued missile attack warnings and reported injuries from Ukrainian air attacks.
On Wednesday, Volodymyr Artyukh, head of Ukraine’s Sumy region, ordered the evacuation of areas near the Kursk border. Ukrainian Colonel Vladislav Seleznyov described the attack as “preventative” due to an estimated 75,000 Russian troops gathering nearby.
Following a major Russian incursion into Kharkiv in May, there were concerns that Moscow might target Sumy next. However, Ukraine’s recent advances in capturing settlements and highways might have disrupted these plans for now.
Despite this, some analysts are questioning the effectiveness of cross-border raids given Ukraine’s stretched resources. Previous incursions by anti-Kremlin Russian groups into Belgorod and Kursk were repelled, and similar incursions occurred in March.
Russia has made gradual gains in eastern Ukraine as Kyiv’s forces contend with constant attacks in the Donbas region. Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraine’s head of defense intelligence, predicts that Russia’s main offensive could conclude in one to two months.
