Russian forces have begun a significant counter-offensive against Ukrainian troops in Russia’s Kursk region, according to pro-Moscow war bloggers and a senior Russian commander.
Pro-Ukrainian observers also reported heavy fighting in part of the occupied area and the possible Russian recapture of villages.
Russian forces were said to have taken several villages on the west of the sliver of Russia that Ukraine has carved out, pushing Ukrainian forces to the east of the Malaya Loknya river south of Snagost. Russia’s defence ministry said it had defeated Ukrainian units at a number of villages.
There was no independent confirmation or immediate comment from Ukraine.
Ukraine’s air force said on Thursday it had shot down 44 out of 64 drones launched by Russia overnight. Russian forces also used five missiles, the air force added in a statement posted on the Telegram messaging app.
The Institute for the Study of War said on Thursday morning that it would be “premature to draw conclusions” about the counterattacks at this stage. The thinktank reported: “Russian forces began counterattacks along the western edge of the Ukrainian salient in Kursk oblast and reportedly seized several settlements north-east and south of Korenevo on September 10 and 11.”
