Ukraine War, 13 September 2024

Hello everybody!

Sorry, very short on time today, and thus just a short update on latest developments in the Kursk Oblast of the Russian Federation (as for why: because this remains a fast-paced battle of maneouvre, where many things are changing by the hour; whereas inside Ukraine, tragically, it remains a slow, slugging match foremost characterised by 'relentless Russian grinding assaults’).

There, the western side of that battlefield is beginning to remind me of maps trying to reconstruct the fighting between the Deutsches Afrikakorps and the British VIII Army during the latter’s offensive to lift the siege of Tobruq, in Libya of November 1941.

Where shall I start…?

In the Khomutovka area (about 45km north of Rylsk) the ZSU crossed the border along the E101 highway and reached the joint of that road with the A142 and M3 highways. What units are involved there, and how are the Russians reacting: no idea. Hope to find out in the coming days.

In the Glushkovsky District…

….the situation in the Tetkino area remains unclear. Just as a reminder, about 10 days ago, the Russians reported the place as cut off by the ZSU advance into the northern suburb of that place. Ever since, neither side reported anything.

West of Glushkovo and south of Korenevo… as described yesterday, the Russians opened their attack by knocking out much of the UAV-battalion of the 103^rd Territorial Defence Brigade. Primarily by air strikes (see: poor security on the part of the Ukrainians).

This enabled the 51^st VDV and VKS Rifles, plus the 173^rd Reconnaissance Battalion VDV, to advance from the north into Snegost. Moreover, the 155^th Naval Infantry managed to enter 10-Y Okyabr and Apanasovka.

The effect was a pincer attack, forcing the 103^rd TD Brigade to withdraw from Krasnooktyabrskoe and Komarovka.

However, contrary to the Russian expectations, the ZSU didn’t just run away, but counterattacked: already as of yesterday morning, it hit the 51st VDV and the 155^th NIB into flanks by artillery, FPVs, anti-tank-guided missiles, and tanks. The Russians not only suffered heavy losses while trying to secure Snagost (just one company of the 51st VDV reported 19 survivors out of 100 with which it started this operation), but their assault on Obukhovka was repelled.

The last night, the Russians then renewed this attack - but this time from the west, with the 155th pushing into Obukhovka, and from there into Tolsty Lug, south of Ljubimovka - before bitterly complaining about getting hit into the flanks again.

Meanwhile…. in southern Glushkovsky…

On 11 September, the ZSU then launched an attack over the border into the southern Glushkovsky District - straight into the rear of the 155^th NIB. This advance was slow, early on, because it had to cross minefields and other obstacles. Ironically, this convinced the Russians that ‘only the Ukrainian Territorial Defence’ is involved there.

Indeed, first several of Pudding’s PRBS-industrialists, and then the Keystone Cops in Moscow explained that all the Ukrainian attempts to cross the border have been repelled, that the ZSU lost 50 killed, and scores of armoured fighting vehicles…

However, by now the Ukrainians are known to have secured Novy Put, then Obukhovika, and then spread in western, northern and eastern direction. As of the last night, they were in Volfino, Veseloye, Obod, and Medvezhe.

An engineering vehicle of the ZSU clearing a path for tanks and infantry during the advance into the southern Glushkovo District, on 11 September. (The T-72 in the rear seems to have some sort of engine-related problem.)

With other words: this one is anything else than over.

And yes: this ‘Kursk affair’ is attracting ever more of the Russian reserves - so also those from Ukraine. Hope, sometimes in the coming days I might find the time to update the list of VSRF and VDV units meanwhile deployed in the Kursk Oblast.