Russia has said that Ukraine has launched another “counterattack” in the western border of Kursk – a region that has become a key battleground for the two sides in the war.
In August, Kyiv's forces began a huge shock ground offensive which rocked Russian troops.
Now another move has been made into Kursk – and while it was not immediately clear how much Ukraine had advanced, pro-Kremlin military bloggers have reported that a powerful new offensive was underway.
The Russian Defense Ministry said: “At about 9am Moscow time (6am UK time), in order to halt the advance of Russian troops in the Kursk direction, the enemy launched a counterattack.”
Ukraine deployed two tanks, a dozen armored vehicles and a demolition unit, concentrating on the village of Berdin, the Russian ministry said.
It added: “The operation to destroy the Ukrainian army formations continues.”
During “offensive operations”, units of Russia's North group of forces had “defeated” the formations of four mechanized, four airborne assault brigades, a marine brigade, and five territorial defense units in the areas of Darino, Kurilovka, Nizhny Klin, Nikolayevo- Daryino, Alexandria, Leonidovo, Nikolskoye, Kozachya Loknya, Malaya Loknya, Makhnovka, Melovaya, Staraya Sorochina, Novaya Sorochina, Russkoye Porechny and Sudzh, the the statement claimed.
Posting on Telegram today, Andriy Kovalenko, an advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said: “The Russians in Kursk are experiencing great anxiety because they were attacked from several directions and it came as a surprise to them.
“The defense forces are working.”
In his regular televised address last night, Mr Zelensky himself said: “Fierce battles continue along the entire front line, with the hottest spot being near Pokrovsk.
“The occupier continues to waste an insane number of its people in assaults.
“And I thank each and every one of our units, all our brigades defending Ukrainian positions and eliminating the occupier.
“The Commander-in-Chief also reported on the situation in the Kursk region.
“Specifically, in battles today and yesterday near just one village – Makhnovka in the Kursk region – the Russian army lost up to a battalion of infantry, including North Korean soldiers and Russian paratroopers. And that's tangible.”
Mr Zelensky also said dozens of partner countries will participate in the meeting of the Ramstein group at Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Thursday, “including those who can help boost our capabilities not only to defend against missiles but also against guided bombs and Russian aviation. “
He added: “We will discuss this with them and continue to persuade them.
“The task remains unchanged: strengthening our air defense.”
US Defense Secretary Lloyd J Austin will attend the meeting. US President Joe Biden was originally scheduled to attend the October summit in Ramstein but it was postponed because of the response to Hurricane Milton that battered the US
In its last few weeks in office, the Biden administration was pressing to send as much military aid as possible to Ukraine before Donald Trump is sworn in Jan. 20.
Mr. Trump claimed during his election campaign that he could end the war in one day and his comments have put a question mark over whether the United States will continue to be Ukraine's biggest – and most important – military backer.
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