Russia said Wednesday it was battling an unprecedented cross-border incursion from Ukrainian troops backed by armored vehicles and aerial support, with Moscow scrambling to reinforce the area after what President Vladimir Putin called a “major provocation.”
Damage to buildings in the town of Sudzha, Russia on Aug. 6, 2024, reportedly caused by shelling from Ukrainian forces.Kursk Region Governov Alexei Smirnov via AFP – Getty Images
The attack has not been acknowledged by Ukraine but would mark a dramatic shift in strategy as its forces struggle to hold on to key territory on the front lines in the country’s east.
While developments on the ground were murky, the apparent assault on the Kursk region in southern Russia raised questions about the Kremlin’s defenses and about Kyiv’s aims at a crucial moment in the war.
Kursk incursion
Acting Gov. Alexei Smirnov first reported Tuesday morning that Ukraine’s armed forces were attempting to cross the border of his region.
Hours later, Russia’s defense ministry said that up to 300 Ukrainian troops, supported by 11 tanks and more than 20 armored fighting vehicles, attacked Russian positions on the border. It said its forces were repelling the attack with artillery, aviation and drones Tuesday night.
The ministry said early Wednesday that it was still battling the incursion, adding that up to 260 Ukrainian troops had been killed as its military and border guards prevented them from advancing deep into Russia’s territory.
Reporting to Putin later on Wednesday, Russia’s chief of the General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, said up to 1,000 Ukrainian troops attempted the incursion early Tuesday and at least 100 had been killed, with 215 more injured.
NBC News has not verified the claims.
Smirnov said that he spoke with Putin on the phone overnight and the Russian leader was “keeping the situation under personal control.” He added that residents were being evacuated from the border of the region and urged people to give blood as the fighting continued.
Five civilians had been killed since Tuesday, he said. The Russian health ministry said 24 people had been injured, the Tass state news agency reported.
Videos and images geolocated by NBC News show damaged buildings in the border town of Sudzha in the Kursk region, which is just 6 miles from the border with Ukraine and has a population of about 5,000 people.
It’s unclear whether the damage or the reported casualties were the result of ground combat or from the rocket and drone fire that Smirnov reported earlier.
Putin himself addressed the situation in Kursk during an unrelated meeting Wednesday afternoon, accusing Ukraine of “another major provocation” and saying that he would meet with the heads of the country’s security, defense and law enforcement agencies on the situation.
The rapid developments sent Russia’s military bloggers into a tailspin, reporting ongoing advances Wednesday morning and that Ukrainian troops had been able to establish a foothold.