Ukrainian Forces Advance in Kursk, Russia Strikes Sumy
Ukrainian troops push into Russia's Kursk region, capturing soldiers. Meanwhile, a Russian missile hits Sumy, injuring two. The conflict intensifies with strategic moves on both sides.
In recent developments, Ukrainian forces have made significant advances into Russia's Kursk region, while a Russian missile strike hit the Ukrainian city of Sumy. These events mark a notable escalation in the ongoing conflict between the two nations.
On August 12, 2024, a Russian missile strike occurred in Sumy, a city in northeastern Ukraine founded in 1652. The attack, reportedly involving an Iskander-K cruise missile system and an aerial bomb, resulted in two injuries and caused damage to vehicles and buildings in the area. The Iskander-K, a land-based cruise missile system developed by Russia, has been increasingly used in this conflict.
Simultaneously, Ukrainian forces have been pushing into Russia's Kursk region since August 6, 2024. This incursion has been notable for its scale and duration, with Western military analysts estimating the involvement of up to 10,000 Ukrainian troops. The city of Kursk, known for the famous World War II battle, now finds itself at the center of a new conflict.
The Ukrainian offensive has had significant impacts on the region. Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, reported that Ukrainian forces had destroyed a bridge across the Seim River using U.S.-made HIMARS rockets. This marks the first use of HIMARS in the Kursk region. The High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, developed in the late 1990s for the United States Army, has proven to be a game-changer in this conflict.
Russian military bloggers have acknowledged that the destruction of bridges impedes supply deliveries to Russian forces, although they claim it doesn't completely cut them off. The use of pontoon bridges, temporary floating structures often employed in military operations, has been suggested as an alternative.
The incursion has led to the evacuation of over 120,000 civilians from the Kursk region. Yan Furtsev, an activist and member of the Yabloko political party, expressed the shock felt by many locals, stating:
"No one expected that this kind of conflict was even possible in the Kursk region. That is why there is such confusion and panic, because citizens are arriving (from front-line areas) and they're scared, very scared."
In the course of their advance, Ukrainian forces have captured a number of Russian troops. On August 12, 2024, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged these captures in a social media post, thanking Ukrainian soldiers and commanders for their efforts. He emphasized the importance of these captures in replenishing Ukraine's "exchange fund" for future prisoner swaps, a practice governed by the Geneva Conventions.
As the conflict continues to evolve, both sides are employing various strategies to gain advantages. The use of social media by political leaders to communicate about military operations has become increasingly common, reflecting the changing nature of modern warfare.
