Ukrainian Kursk Front - Day 8 Thread
Ukraine Advances and Reinforces Despite earlier indications that the Ukrainian advance in the Kursk region was slowing, Ukraine has made significant new gains with minimal territorial losses over the last 24 hours. Russian sources continue to express concern over the large number of Ukrainian troops that have flooded into Kursk.According to Kursk's acting governor, Smirnov, Ukraine controls around 500 km² of Russian territory, while more realistic Ukrainian claims suggest closer to 850 km² (aggressive claims go as high as 1,000 km², but this includes areas that the UAF has merely passed through). Until additional defensive lines are established, the exact number will remain difficult to determine.
Sudzha Captured: Yesterday, Ukrainian troops appear to have captured the city of Sudzha. Videos show Ukrainian soldiers driving through the town center (see video below) and another video shows a Ukrainian soldier casually walking on the northern side of Sudzha. These observations, along with NASA FIRMS data and limited Russian sources, all indicate that Russian forces are retreating west. Russian sources have been reluctant to acknowledge the loss of Sudzha, as it would represent the first "large" city captured by Ukraine.
Dar'ino Flag Removal: Ukraine has also torn down the Russian flag in Dar'ino (Дарьино), as seen in the video below. This expands Ukrainian control west of previous lines.
Prisoners and Interviews: Ukraine continues to release videos showing large groups of prisoners, as well as interviews with captured soldiers.
Freedom of Movement: Ukrainian troops appear to have a high level of freedom of movement across the Kursk region, with individual armored vehicles being spotted in multiple rural locations conducting reconnaissance (see video below).
Russian Evacuation Efforts: Russia is working hard to evacuate all its citizens from the area, enabling the use of heavy weapons like tube artillery and FABs without restraint. Close to 150,000 people have been evacuated so far.
Putin's Press Conference: Russian President Vladimir Putin held a news conference today with the governors of Kursk, Belgorod, and Bryansk, emphasizing the message "we have the situation under control."
Ukrainian Presence: @JulianRoepck identified Ukrainian vehicles up to 22 km east of Sudzha, showing that Ukraine continues to operate with relative impunity.
