Kursk, Russia — A significant Ukrainian incursion into Russia’s Kursk region has provoked widespread anger among Russian military commentators and led President Vladimir Putin to convene an urgent meeting with top defence and law enforcement officials. Descriptions of the situation range from “chaotic” to “nightmarish,” reflecting deep dissatisfaction within Russia’s military circles.
Critics have highlighted a lack of preparedness as a key issue. Ravreba, a notable commentator, remarked, “The Kursk region, much like Moscow, was oblivious to the imminent threat posed by a vigilant enemy.” The severity of the incursion became starkly apparent on August 2, when a Russian sabotage and reconnaissance team was decimated. Ukrainian Telegram channels displayed the bodies, underscoring that the group had stumbled upon a well-prepared invading force, not a special operation unit. “Aerospace reconnaissance? No, we haven’t heard of it,” Ravreba added sarcastically.
Anastasia Kashevarova, another prominent voice, stated, “We knew the Ukrainian Armed Forces were mobilising for an assault on Kursk Oblast. Field reports were consistent, yet higher-ups did nothing.” The criticism extended to the lack of fortified defences along the border. Kashevarova sarcastically remarked, “Why bother strengthening the border? An elderly man with a Berdan rifle and an old dog are apparently sufficient.”
Similarly, Ravreba wrote, “The Kursk region has an army—border guards, motorised riflemen, air defence, air force, and more. Should they be brought to combat readiness, conduct continuous exercises, and fortify the border? Let’s not dwell on the depressing reality.” “The enemy will not pass! The generals assured us while enjoying their time,” Ravreba added sardonically.
1/ Russian milbloggers are furious at the failure of Russia's Ministry of Defence to protect the Kursk region border from the current large-scale Ukrainian incursion. They call the situation there "hell on earth".pic.twitter.com/OyXMCwZqDN
— ChrisO_wiki (@ChrisO_wiki) August 7, 2024
The pro-Wagner channel Alex Parker Returns directed its ire at the Chechen Akhmat unit, tasked with border protection but criticised for “hiding behind conscripts.” The channel stated, “Instead of the Akhmat unit, conscripts were thrown into battle, and the result was predictable.” The Callsign 《OSETIN》channel lamented, “Columns of equipment move through our lands, yet our troops and infantry are nowhere to be found. There is no artillery, no tanks, no equipment. Was anyone prepared for this? Only aviation, operators, and forward air controllers are active, along with the border guards.”
Veterans’ Notes accused field commanders of misleading the General Staff about the true state of personnel and reserves. “The situation with manpower and reserves is not as reported to the General Staff. The enemy is aware of this and exploits it, knowing that the Russian Armed Forces Command will be forced to redeploy units from Donbass to reinforce the Kursk region.”
The leadership in Moscow came under heavy fire from commentators. Kashevarova condemned military leaders for perpetuating mistakes and deceit. “They deny the presence of the enemy within Russian territory and hide obvious facts. They spread the lie that there are no Ukrainians in the Kursk region, but this is false.” “Do you know why they lie? Because they make mistakes constantly. Every day, these errors cost our fighters their lives. Any mistake, any oversight leads to casualties, captured soldiers, destroyed equipment,” Kashevarova added.
Ravreba expressed frustration over the lack of urgency in Moscow, stating, “There is a complete disregard for the state of war. We conduct special operations here and there, but in Moscow, they wrap up fish.” “It is more convenient for the new Minister of Defence to calculate how much was stolen by the grandfathers than to push generals into action,” Ravreba wrote. “Career military officers are not focusing on the enemy’s concentration across the border because it is not about their salaries. Conscripts are focused on the fact that they are at war, despite promises that they wouldn’t be sent to the front lines.”
Alex Parker Returns lamented, “Few could have imagined at the start of the Special Military Operation that two years later, Ukrainians would enter the Kursk region, capture conscripts, and advance towards the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant.” “Sadly, this is our reality. The solution is simple: the grandfathers are strangling Russia with their stupidity, inertia, and clumsiness. No one is challenging this,” the channel concluded.
Photograph: Governor of Kursk region/AFP/Getty Images, via The Guardian.
Ukraine’s surprise incursion into Russia’s Kursk region has continued into a second day, prompting President Vladimir Putin to convene a meeting with his top defence and law enforcement officials. A report from one Russian military commentator suggested that Ukrainian forces had advanced up to nine miles (15km) from the border, along a highway north of the village of Sverdlikovo, though this claim remains unverified.
Both official and unofficial sources indicated that a force of several hundred Ukrainian soldiers crossed a lightly defended section of the border on Tuesday morning. Russia’s Ministry of Defence initially claimed to have repelled the attack but acknowledged on Wednesday afternoon that fighting was ongoing. They reported using air and missile strikes, as well as artillery fire, to neutralise the invaders, inflicting 260 casualties and destroying 50 armoured vehicles.
In televised remarks at the start of a meeting with members of the Russian government, Putin described the raid as a major provocation and planned to discuss the issue with top security officials later in the day. Several Russian commentators reported that Putin would convene a meeting of the Russian security council in response to the incursion, though there was no official confirmation.
Alexei Smirnov, the acting governor of Kursk Oblast, stated that he had briefed Putin on the operational situation. Civilians were being evacuated from frontline areas, with 300 people housed in temporary accommodation overnight. Ukrainian officials have remained largely silent as the incursion unfolds, possibly to avoid appearing triumphant or revealing strategic intentions.
The incursion reportedly began at around 8 am on Tuesday when Ukrainian troops crossed the border between the villages of Nikolayevo-Daryino and Oleshnya, seemingly aiming to advance both north and east. This attack is likely an attempt by Ukraine, whose defences are stretched thin on the eastern Donbas front, to divert Russian forces to a less active part of the frontline. Critics in Ukraine, however, argue that such operations may not have long-term military benefits. Previous attacks by anti-Kremlin Russian groups from Ukraine into Belgorod and Kursk regions were repelled without significant strategic gains.
This current operation appears to be led by Ukraine’s military, specifically Kyiv’s 22nd mechanised brigade, rather than opposition groups. Fighting was reported in and around the town of Sudzha, approximately six miles from the border. A local Russian Telegram channel released footage showing bombed-out rural homes, claiming to depict the current situation.
The main operational gas pipeline into Europe, which runs near Sudzha and supplies countries such as Austria and Hungary, remains a critical point of interest. Despite the ongoing conflict, Ukraine has continued to allow gas to flow through this pipeline under a contract expiring at the end of 2024. Speculation online suggested that the Kursk nuclear power plant, located 35 miles from the border, might be a target of the incursion. However, this distance and the size of the invading force make such an objective unlikely.
Russia has been significantly increasing its troop presence in Ukraine, with current estimates suggesting a force of around 520,000 soldiers—two to three times the size of the original invasion. Conversely, Ukraine faces challenges in mobilising new recruits and is being pushed back in parts of the eastern front, particularly in the central Donbas towards Pokrovsk.
Vudi Xhymshiti contributed to this article from Ukraine with additional research from Jessica Alderman.
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