Russia Claims Ukraine Has Made New Attempts to Breach Its Western Border, Reports Reuters

Moscow Reports Ongoing Border Clashes with Ukraine

Moscow announced on Tuesday that it had thwarted five recent attempts by Ukrainian forces to breach its border in the Kursk region, raising the total number of reported incursions to 26 over the past six days.

Ukraine launched a significant offensive on August 6, marking the largest foreign attack on Russia since World War II. Ukrainian troops advanced into the Kursk region supported by numerous drones and heavy weaponry, including arms supplied from Western nations.

In response, Russia, which mobilized tens of thousands of troops for its own military campaign in Ukraine since 2022, initiated a major counteroffensive against Ukrainian forces in Kursk starting September 10. This maneuver aimed to push back Ukrainian forces toward the Snagost River.

For approximately a week, Ukrainian troops have attempted to breach the Russian border towards the areas of Veseloe and Medvezhe. Their actions are seen as a threat to the Russian counteroffensive, which is located about 15 kilometers west of the primary combat zone in Kursk.

The Russian defense ministry reported that, with the assistance of army aviation and artillery, it successfully repelled the five attempts to penetrate the border in the specified regions. Russian forces have been conducting operations in various settlements including Lyubimovka and Malaya Loknya.

Military bloggers from Russia have indicated that Ukraine has made some territorial gains towards Veseloe and Medvezhe, while also reporting that Russian forces are reclaiming lost ground and launching assaults on Lyubimovka.

Independent verification of the situation on the ground has been challenging due to the reporting restrictions imposed by both sides in the conflict.

Ukraine’s recent incursions into Kursk presented a setback for Russia’s military leadership, highlighting vulnerabilities in border defenses. Nevertheless, President Vladimir Putin asserted that these incursions have ultimately expedited Russia’s progress in eastern Ukraine.

Recent assessments based on public data suggest that Russian forces are advancing in eastern Ukraine at an unprecedented rate in about two years, particularly surrounding the town of Ukrainsk.

As the war in Ukraine escalates into a more perilous stage, Ukraine is seeking approval from key NATO members to launch strikes deep into Russian territory using Western missiles.