An attempt by Moscow’s troops to storm Ukrainian positions in Russia’s Kursk oblast failed, according to Ukraine’s military, which released video it said showed the extent of the battle.
Ukraine’s forces entered the Russian region on August 6 and Kyiv has claimed to have captured 500 square miles of territory as speculation grows about the long-term objectives of such a bold push.
While Russia’s initial response was slow, Moscow’s troops have started to counterattack and there are unconfirmed reports that they had recaptured some lost territory.
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But Ukraine’s Air Assault Forces posted on Telegram how one attempt by Russian forces to storm its positions had failed. “Ukrainian troops crushed them in a several-hour battle,” reported Ukrainska Pravda on Saturday.
The outlet cited the forces’ Telegram post, which said “the enemy threw 14 units of military equipment at the positions of Ukrainian paratroopers, including two tanks, eleven infantry fighting vehicles [IFVs] and one armored personnel carrier.”
However, Russia’s attempt to break through Ukrainian defensive positions “failed,” the post said, adding that Ukrainian paratroopers “proved in a heavy battle that lasted several hours that they are better at military affairs.”
The 73-second video showed a series of explosions including what it said was the destruction of an IFV and a building in which Russian troops were concentrated in. Another frame showed a FPV drone hitting another IFV.
It said five IFVs, a tank and an APC were destroyed and several dozen Russian troops killed, while many fled.
The video was undated and the claims have not been independently verified and Newsweek has contacted the Russian defense ministry for comment.
It comes amid an assessment by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) on Friday that said Russian forces have continued to counterattack throughout the Ukrainian salient in Kursk Oblast, but will need more troops for the operation.
Reports say around 35,000 Russian personnel are stationed in the Russian region although it is unclear if this joint force includes contract soldiers, less effective conscripts, irregular forces, border guards, and Russian Interior Ministry forces.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday that Moscow could station up to 70,000 personnel in the Kursk oblast, more than the 50,000 personnel that U.S. officials have reportedly assessed Russia needs to push Ukrainians out of the region.
On Saturday, the Ukrainian open-source intelligence group DeepState reported that Ukrainian forces captured the settlements of Vetryano, Durovka and part of Zhuravli, posting a map on X showing the purported gains.
It also said that Russian forces have reclaimed Snagost, some surrounding villages and have also advanced towards Lyubimovka.