Ukrainian military: Kyiv forces disrupt Russian offensive in Zaporizhzhia Oblast through Kursk operation

Russia abandoned its plans to advance on Zaporizhzhia Oblast due to the Kursk operation launched by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in August. The occupiers were forced to redeploy one of their most combat-ready units from Zaporizhzhia Oblast to Russia for defense, a high-ranking Ukrainian military official told Ukrinform.

Ukrainian forces initiated an incursion into Russia’s Kursk Oblast in August 2024, capturing hundreds of Russian soldiers and inflicting over 20,000 casualties on Russian troops. However, the advance has recently stalled due to bolstered Russian defenses and reinforcements.

The source, who spoke with UkrInform on condition of anonymity noted that some Russian units were withdrawn from not only from Zaporizhzhia Oblast, but also from Donetsk Oblast, particularly from the Pokrovsk and Kurakhove fronts.

At the start of the Kursk operation, Ukrainian forces faced 40,000 Russian troops. This grouping has grown since to 59,000, with Russian command planning to increase it to 60,000. The 155th Marine Brigade of Russia’s Pacific Fleet, known for committing atrocities against Ukrainian prisoners of war has also taken part in combat.

Currently, Ukrainian forces control approximately 800 square kilometers of Kursk Oblast in Russia. At the operation’s peak, Kyiv troops controlled up to 1,376 square kilometers. Although this area has decreased in recent months, Russia’s attempts to reclaim territory have come at a high cost, with its army suffering nearly 25,000 personnel losses.

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