Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Thursday that Ukrainian forces have taken full control of the Russian town of Sudzha, marking the largest Russian town captured by Ukraine since their cross-border incursion began over a week ago.
Sudzha, which had a pre-war population of around 5,000, serves as the administrative centre for the Kursk region in Russia. Despite its small size, the town is more significant than other settlements Ukraine has captured since the incursion began on August 6.
Chaos erupted in the Kursk region of Russia after the unexpected Ukrainian incursion, with Russian authorities reporting the evacuation of over 1,20,000 civilians. Kyiv claims to have captured at least 100 Russian troops during the operation.
Ukraine's incursion into Russia's Kursk border region is being deemed, and rightly so, as a was a bold gamble for the country's military commanders, who deployed their limited resources for a risky assault on a nuclear-armed enemy with no assurance of success.
Russia's Response and Ongoing Conflict
Zelenskyy stated that the Ukrainian military is setting up a command office in Sudzha, indicating a potential long-term presence in the Kursk region. While he did not elaborate on the office's specific functions, he mentioned plans to distribute humanitarian aid to Sudzha residents.
Russia has yet to respond to Zelenskyy’s claims. However, earlier on Thursday, the Russian defense ministry reported that Russian forces had blocked Ukrainian attempts to seize other communities.
Within a week, Ukraine claimed to have captured almost as much Russian land in Kursk as Russian forces took in Ukraine in the last seven months, according to the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank.
Russian authorities have reportedly acknowledged the Ukrainian gains but described them as smaller. Even so, they have evacuated about 132,000 people.
Zelenskyy justified the incursion as a means to protect neighbouring Ukrainian regions. He emphasised that reducing Russian military presence in border areas would bring peace and security closer to Ukraine.
Historical Significance and Military Implications
This incursion is the largest and most significant of the war, involving up to 10,000 Ukrainian troops, according to Western military analysts. It is also the first time foreign troops have held Russian territory since World War II.
While Russian military bloggers have reported that Russian reserves are slowing the Ukrainian advance in Kursk, questions remain about whether Moscow will need to redeploy troops from eastern Ukraine, where they have been making steady gains.
US Observations and Satellite Images
White House national security spokesman John Kirby confirmed that Russia has withdrawn some forces from Ukraine, shifting them to Kursk. However, US officials believe that Moscow has not yet moved enough troops to repel the Ukrainian forces effectively.
As of Thursday, Ukrainian military reports claim control of over 80 towns and settlements in the Kursk region. Satellite images analysed by news agency Associated Press show that a Ukrainian drone attack damaged at least two hangars and possibly two fighter aircraft at Russian air bases.
Kursk's acting Governor, Alexei Smirnov, ordered the evacuation of the Glushkovo region, indicating that Ukrainian forces are advancing. Evacuees described chaotic scenes as they fled Sudzha under heavy artillery fire.
In response to the escalating situation, Russia declared a federal-level state of emergency in the Belgorod region, suggesting worsening conditions and challenges in delivering aid.
