Kyiv: Ukrainian army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi announced on Friday that Kyiv’s forces have advanced between one and three kilometers in some areas of the Kursk region, 11 days into their incursion into Russia. Since the operation began on August 6, Kyiv claims control over 82 settlements, covering 1,150 square kilometers (444 square miles) in the region. The Ukrainian foreign ministry asserts that this progress surpasses the territorial gains Russia has made in Ukraine this year.
Briefing President Volodymyr Zelenskyy via video link, Syrskyi reported ongoing combat in the Malaya Loknya area, located about 11.5 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. He expressed hope that these operations would lead to capturing “many prisoners.” Following Syrskyi’s update, Zelenskyy stated on X that “The Kursk region operation – we are strengthening our positions and replenishing ‘exchange fund’ for Ukraine.”
Kyiv officials indicated that hundreds of Russian troops have been captured, with hopes that this will accelerate the exchange of Ukrainian fighters held by Russia. Moscow has labeled the incursion a “major provocation” and pledged a “worthy response” more than two and a half years after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The Russian Defence Ministry reported on Friday that its troops repelled Ukrainian attacks in several areas, including near Gordeevka, Russkoe Porechnoe, and other locations. Zelenskyy described the damage inflicted on Russian forces in the Kursk region as “very helpful” for Ukraine’s defense, noting it disrupts Russian army logistics and depletes their reserves.
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Kyiv Air Force commander Mykola Oleshchuk highlighted the active role of aviation in the operation, targeting enemy supply routes and logistics centers. He shared a video on Telegram of a strike on a bridge. Kursk regional governor Alexei Smirnov confirmed the destruction of a road bridge over the Seym River in the Glushkovsky district.
Despite these developments, the heaviest fighting remains in Ukraine’s east, where Russian troops have been advancing towards the strategic hub of Pokrovsk for months. Analysts suggest that one aim of Ukraine’s Kursk operation was to divert Russian forces from the east, but no significant reduction in eastern hostilities has been observed.
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Russian forces are reported to be 10 kilometers from Pokrovsk and about 6 kilometers from nearby Myrnohrad, according to local officials. Yohann Michel, a French military expert at the IESD Institute in Lyon, noted, “If the objective was to divert the Russian effort from the Donbas, it’s failed so far.” He added that both Kyiv and Moscow are intensifying their respective offensives, with the outcome likely depending on which side yields first.
Zelenskyy assured that Ukraine remains focused on the eastern front and promised additional weapons deliveries beyond what was previously planned to bolster defenses.
