Combat Area in Kursk Region Increased 70 Square Km in One Day

Ukrainian forces advanced 70 square km (43 square miles) into Russia’s Kursk region in a single day, according to calculations by the Russian media outlet Agenstvo, which reported Sunday night, Aug. 11, that the current combat zone is 720 square km (447 square miles).

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) also reported that based on geolocation footage and videos from Russia and Ukraine, between Saturday, Aug. 10 to Sunday, Aug. 11, Ukrainian forces advanced west and northwest in the Kursk region.

According to Agenstvo, the farthest point from the border where fighting occurred is the village of Obshchy Kolodez in the Korenevsky district, which is 28 km (17 miles) from the border and 9 km (6 miles) from the Lgov-Rylsk road.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian side has not officially confirmed its advance in the Kursk region, while the Kremlin may be attempting to calm the population.

The Insider reported that the Russian Defense Ministry is publishing videos of “successful strikes” on Ukrainian forces in the Kursk direction – but the footage was filmed a long time ago in other locations.

For example, a video published on Aug. 10 by state-owned media outlet RIA Novosti, claims to show strikes in the Kursk region near the Ukrainian border, but journalists indicate that the footage was actually shot during strikes on the cities of Kreminna and Chasiv Yar in Ukraine’s Luhansk and Donetsk regions.

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With winter already approaching, the latest attack renewed discussions about a potentially unforgiving winter for Ukrainians and what the future might hold under the upcoming US administration.

The Insider also discovered a similar falsification in a publication by the Russian Defense Ministry, which supposedly shows new strikes by the Russian army in the Sumy region in northern Ukraine. Journalists found that the video was actually published by the Russian state agency TASS on July 14 of this year.

Ukraine sent troops into Russia’s Kursk region on Aug. 6 – in the largest cross-border operation by Kyiv since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than two years ago.

The assault, which has sent tens of thousands of people fleeing, is the most significant attack by a foreign army on Russian territory since World War II.

A top Ukrainian official told AFP that the operation was aimed at stretching Moscow troops and destabilizing the country after months of slow Russian advances across the front line.

The assault appeared to catch the Kremlin off guard, with Moscow’s army rushing in reserve troops, tanks, aviation, artillery and drones in a bid to quash it.