Ukrainians advance 30 kilometres deep into Russian territory, Russians build defences near Kursk Nuclear Power Plant – BBC

The Russian settlement of Obshchii Kolodez, where the fighting is ongoing according to the Russian MoD. Screenshot: Google Maps

The claims of the Ministry of Defence of Russia and verified footage of BBC indicate that Ukrainian forces have advanced about 30 kilometres deep into the territory of Russia in Kursk Oblast near the border with Ukraine, and new defence lines have emerged near the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant (NPP).

Source: ВВС

Details: On 11 August the Russian Defence Ministry claimed that the Russians had prevented an attempted breakthrough by the Ukrainians near the settlements of Tolpino and Obshchii Kolodez in Kursk Oblast, located about 25 and 30 kilometres from the Russo-Ukrainian border. BBC calls it an obvious admission that the Defence Forces of Ukraine advanced deep in the border Kursk district.

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The footage, published online and confirmed by BBC, also showed a Russian strike near the village of Levshinka, about 25 kilometres away from the border.

BBC correspondents witnessed a constant flow of armoured vehicles and tanks moving in the direction of Russia in the Ukrainian city of Sumy which borders Kursk Oblast. The armoured columns are sporting white triangular insignias, seemingly to distinguish them from hardware used within Ukraine itself. Meanwhile, aerial photos have appeared to show Ukrainian tanks engaged in combat inside Russia.

Meanwhile, satellite imagery showing Ukrainian tanks fighting on the territory of Russia emerged.

The photos, analysed by BBC Verify, also show that Russia builds new defence lines near the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant. Reportedly, Ukrainian forces advanced within 50 kilometres of the facility.

Contrasting satellite imagery of the same location captured on 10 August with imagery from a few days earlier, images show several newly constructed trench lines nearby, with the nearest roughly 8 kilometres from the plant.

Background:

• On the morning of 6 August, the Russians claimed that Ukrainian forces had mounted an attempt to infiltrate Kursk Oblast, Russia. Russian propagandists and military bloggers are claiming that Ukrainian forces have secured a foothold in the border area. Russian ruler Vladimir Putin called the situation a “provocation”.
• Earlier, Russia’s Defence Ministry confirmed the advance of supposedly Ukrainian forces in two districts of Kursk Oblast and noted that it had moved reserves to the border and was “attacking Ukrainian troops from the air”. 
• On 9 August, Russia’s Ministry of Defence issued a statement on the situation in Kursk Oblast, acknowledging that Ukrainian forces were on the outskirts of the town of Sudzha.
• Igor Korpunkov, Mayor of the Russian town of Kurchatov, where the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant is located, reported that fighting is now taking place a few dozen kilometres away from the town borders, but urged residents not to panic.
• A counter-terrorist operation (CTO) regime was imposed in Russia’s Bryansk, Kursk and Belgorod oblasts on the night of 9-10 August. A state of emergency was declared in Kursk Oblast on 7 August, two days after the alleged Ukrainian incursion.

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