Don's Weekly, 9 September 2024: Part 1

by Donald Hill

Hello everybody!

A little bit late this Monday, here’s Don’s review of the last week.

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Kursk

Currently it seems that each of Ukraine’s brigades involved in this campaign is deploying just one battalion inside Russia at the time. The other two battalions are back in Ukraine resting and repairing, or preparing to replace the battalion that is in Kursk. This practice was already in place when the 3rd Assault Brigade started its push south of Bakhmut in May 2023. Russian anecdotal reports say they have a lot of drones but Ukraine has twice as many.

A Russian blogger says a Ukrainian assault begins with an EW unit being deployed just behind the front line to jam Russian drones. Then Ukrainian drones operating on different frequencies constantly attack Russian positions. While Russian defenses are suppressed by the drone attacks, Ukrainian infantry advance in groups of 4-6 people and occupy the trenches that were cleared out by drones. Ukrainian EW units are then moved up again and the process is repeated.

Budanov said that the Kursk offensive complicated Russia’s plans for offensive operations and that Russia is committing their forces towards their main objective, presumably in the Pokrovsk region.

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Kursk- Western Sector

The battle lines are much more settled now with most of the fighting centered around the Komarovka area. Videos of Russian drone activity are in the Snagost area. Videos of Ukrainian drone activity range along the line from Komarovka to Sinyak. Given that there is a Russian propagandist running around Tetkino and handing supplies to civilians, I question whether the village is actually cut off by Ukrainian forces despite Russian claims of that last week. Russian airstrikes of the last few days remained heavy but primarily aiming at communications - like roads and crossroads - inside Ukraine.

Russia keeps replacing the pontoon bridges that were destroyed in order to supply their troops, even if only for a few hours at a time. This one is 2800 meters north of Glushkovo. As an indication of how important these bridges are, see how many munitions Ukraine expends on this one bridge to first submerge it, and then sink it. This video is included to show that the bridge was still functional while submerged. (Noted on the map as (1)Pontoon Destroyed). An airstrike destroyed this pontoon. (Noted as (2)Pontoon Destroyed).

Preparing for airstrikes on the Zvannoe and Gluskovo bridges a couple weeks ago. Targets inside Glushkovo were hit this week. More Russian looting, this time in Glushkovo.

The 103rd Separate Territorial Brigade used drones to attack targets around Novoivanovka and Kulbaki. Ukrainian vehicles were destroyed in previous weeks on the road between Novoivanovka and Komarovka.

A substation in Tetkino was attacked. A Russian blogger gives a two minute tour around Tetkino. A Russian’s house burned down.

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Kursk- Northern Sector

Several pockets of Russian that were surrounded behind Ukrainian lines have been eliminated, and the Russians remain busy trying to reach the remaining isolated units. The battle lines aren’t moving as much but Ukrainian units are moving a lot along the front lines. They are shifting defensive positions after being attacked. They move through any gaps in the line to attack Russian positions from the sides and rear and then pull back. In this northern sector, there is a shortage of videos of Russian drone attacks, probably due to jamming.

A Russian soldier gives a tour of downtown Korenevo.

Russians assault Ukrainian positions 2 km east of Aleksandrovka.

The sounds of shelling at night in Lgov. The 82nd Brigade attacks Russian targets at night with drones, and a mine placed by one of their drones is run over by a Russian APC.

Halfway between Sudzha and Kromskie Byki, Russia bombs Ukrainian positions.

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Kursk- Eastern Sector

Ukraine secured Pushkarnoe but the battle lines were otherwise stable. Russia is still pushing hard along the front.

Russian civilians try to use vehicles to create a roadblock. A Russian airstrike on Martynovka.

A Russian airstrike 4 km northeast of Malaya Loknya.

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Kharkiv

South of Hlyboke, the Ukrainian 13th National Guard Charter Brigade planned, rehearsed and executed an assault against positions held by the Russians for over three months. One of the battalions from the 3rd Brigade also assisted. They ended up killing 34 and wounding 23 Russians and advancing 1.5 kilometers. Two Russian artillery pieces in Russia were damaged and another one destroyed.

The 92nd Brigade released a 4 minute video of drones killing Russian equipment around Hlyboke. And east of Hlyboke, the 42nd Brigade used a thermite drone.

In Vovchansk, Russians are attacking in small groups. They lost two MT-LBs and a BMP. They use drones to attack Ukrainians in this video, but the Ukrainians survive.

On the Russian side of the border, Russian troops are looting again.

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(…to be continued…)