ISW: Ukrainian Armed Forces continue to advance in Kursk region

ISW: Ukrainian Armed Forces continue to advance in Kursk region

Analysts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) have examined the "additional achievements" of the defense forces in their advance in the Kursk region of the Russian Federation.

This was reported by ISW .

The report notes that Russian so-called military bloggers claimed on August 20 that Ukrainian forces were continuing mechanized attacks on the outskirts of Koreneve, and that Russian forces were launching artillery and air strikes to contain the Ukrainian advance.

According to their information, Russian troops have regained some lost positions and advanced into the fields south of Safonovka.

In addition, geolocated imagery published on August 20 shows that Ukrainian forces have also advanced into the wooded area north of Russkoye-Porechnoye (northeast of Sudzha, 20 km from the border), which is consistent with maps published by Russian "military" bloggers that show Ukrainian forces advancing throughout the area adjacent to settlements that are part of the Russkoye-Porechnoye area.

The Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi, presented a map illustrating the situation in the Kursk region on August 20, and ISW plans to use the boundaries of this map to update its assessment of the stated boundaries of the Ukrainian advance in this area.

During his speech at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, Syrskyi demonstrated a map that allegedly depicts the current front line of Ukrainian troops in the Kursk region.

"Syrskyi’s map shows that Ukrainian forces have advanced somewhat further than ISW believes, namely: at Viktorovka (southwest of Koreveno); between Snaghost and Koreveno; northeast of Koreveno in the areas north of Kremennoye and northwest of Pogrebki; east of Malaya Lokna (north of Sudzha);

"ISW does not question Syrskyi’s presentation of the disposition of Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region and presents it in accordance with Syrskyi’s presentation.

ISW continues to assess that Ukrainian forces do not control all of the territory along the contact line under the doctrinal definition of "control" that ISW uses to form its assessments of control of territory."

Ukrainian officials continue to explain some of the goals of the Ukrainian operation in the Kursk region and report on the further advance of Ukrainian troops.

Syrskyi reported on August 20 that Ukrainian forces had advanced 28 to 35 kilometers into the Kursk region and that they "control" 93 settlements (1,263 square kilometers).

The Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces said that the advance of Ukrainian troops in the Kursk region is forcing Russian troops to redeploy elements of some units along the front line in Ukraine to the Kursk region, which could affect the pace and prospects of Russian offensive actions in Ukraine.

Syrskyi also added that Ukrainian troops are pursuing the goal of creating a buffer zone on Russian territory in order to prevent shelling of the Sumy region by Russian troops and to "get ahead" of the efforts of Russian troops in general.

At the same time, the Russian military command continues to complicate and bureaucratize its currently ineffective command and control structure in response to the Ukrainian operation in the Kursk region.

"ISW continues to assess that complex and overlapping responsibilities, as well as the ever-growing list of actors tasked by the Kremlin to respond to the Ukrainian operation, are hampering Russia’s ability to create effective common structures."