Ukraine has made significant advances in Russia’s Kursk region, according to a new map and analysis from the U.S.-based think tank, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Nearly two weeks after launching an incursion into Russian territory, Ukrainian forces have seized the villages of Apanaskovka and Byakhovo, marking a notable expansion of Kyiv’s operations across the border.
These villages are located south of Korenovo, a Russian border town that has been the scene of intense fighting for more than a week and a half. Geolocated footage indicates that Ukrainian troops have also advanced into the southwest of Russkoye Porechnoye, further solidifying their presence in the region.
This operation, the most significant Ukrainian advance into Russian territory since the full-scale war began nearly two and a half years ago, has seen thousands of Ukrainian soldiers cross into Kursk. The initial targets of the advance included the areas surrounding Sudzha and Korenevo, where Ukrainian forces quickly gained ground. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced earlier this week that Sudzha had been captured, stating that the operation was proceeding as expected and that Ukraine was reinforcing its positions.
Moscow has struggled to contain the incursion, despite repeated claims by senior Russian officials that their troops, under a “counterterrorism operation” led by the federal security service (FSB), have halted Ukrainian gains. However, this narrative has been contradicted by various sources, including Russian military bloggers, Ukrainian reports, and Western analyses. Moscow has been forced to transfer reinforcements to the border, with some of its most experienced units being brought in from other sections of the front.
Over the weekend, reports of “fierce fighting” in Kursk emerged, with Ukraine reportedly bringing in fresh reserves to bolster its efforts. The Belgorod region, which borders Kursk, declared a federal state of emergency on Thursday as the situation escalated, and thousands of people have reportedly been leaving Kursk daily.
The ISW assessed on Saturday that Ukrainian forces had advanced up to 28 kilometers (17.4 miles) into Kursk, spanning a width of approximately 56 kilometers. However, the think tank noted that the area Ukraine is actively consolidating is likely smaller than this.
While Ukraine has stated that it does not intend to hold onto the territory it controls in Kursk, the incursion is strategically aimed at disrupting Russian logistics supporting the war effort elsewhere and shielding Ukrainian territory from aerial attacks. On Sunday, Kyiv’s air force announced the destruction of a second bridge in Kursk, further tightening Ukraine’s grip on Russian supply lines. Reports from Russian Telegram channels attributed the bridge attack in the Kursk village of Zvannoye to U.S.-supplied HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems), leaving only one bridge operational in the district.
Earlier in the week, Russia’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the destruction of another bridge over the Seym River near the Kursk border village of Glushkovo, also believed to be the work of Western-made weapons. Russian authorities have since ordered the evacuation of the Glushkovo district. Despite the deteriorating logistical situation around Glushkovo, with Ukraine targeting the remaining bridges, Russian forces have begun constructing pontoon crossings to maintain supply lines.
The Ukrainian advance into Kursk follows months of slow but steady gains by Russia in eastern Ukraine, particularly around the strategic city of Avdiivka in Donetsk. The incursion into Russian territory has provided a morale boost for Ukraine, offsetting the persistent Russian pressure in the east. As Ukraine continues its operation in Kursk, Moscow’s ability to maintain its offensive in eastern Ukraine, particularly toward key targets like Pokrovsk, may be significantly strained, potentially impacting the broader dynamics of the conflict.