Ukrainian Official Claims Kursk Attack Aims to Destabilize Russia

Ukrainian officials have reported that significant numbers of troops have been deployed in an incursion into Russia’s Kursk province, amid a backdrop of conflicting accusations between Moscow and Kyiv regarding a fire incident at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, located approximately 250 miles to the south.

A security official from Ukraine, speaking to Agence France-Presse, stated that the primary objective of the incursion was to destabilize Russia and to stretch Russian forces through rapid, smaller attacks. However, concerns remain about the long-term sustainability of this operation as the Kremlin has threatened to utilize Russian reserves to counter the efforts.

Although Russia claimed that a surprise attack was launched by a few hundred Ukrainian troops, Ukrainian sources indicated that the actual number involved was much higher. When asked whether the figure exceeded 1,000, the official stated, “It is a lot more… Thousands.”

Reports suggest that multiple Ukrainian brigades are partaking in this offensive. The Ukrainian military caught Russia off guard by targeting a less defended section of the frontline that had seen little action since spring 2022, managing to breach some of the border defenses.

“We are on the offensive. The goal is to stretch enemy positions, inflict maximum losses, and create instability within Russia, demonstrating their inability to secure their own borders,” the anonymous security official explained.

On Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy noted that Russia had conducted nearly 2,000 cross-border strikes on Ukraine’s Sumy region from Kursk during the summer. In his nightly address, he emphasized that each of these strikes warranted a proportional response from Ukraine. “Artillery, mortars, drones. We also observe missile strikes, and each of these demands a fair response,” Zelenskiy stated.

Russian military bloggers reported that clashes have reached as deep as 20 kilometers (about 12 miles) within the Kursk region, raising questions among some regarding how Ukraine managed to penetrate this area so effectively.

In a video released by the Ukrainian military spy agency, “I want to live,” several Russian soldiers, including fighters believed to be from Chechnya, were allegedly captured in Kursk. However, verification of this video has not been confirmed by independent sources.

Zelenskiy also reported that Russian forces had started a fire in one of the cooling towers at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which they have occupied since early in the conflict. He stated that, as of now, radiation levels were normal and condemned Russia for using its control of the site to exert pressure on Ukraine and the broader international community.

According to a Ukrainian official in the nearby town of Nikopol, the fire was supposedly caused by setting a large number of car tires ablaze in one of the cooling towers. Conversely, Evgeny Balitsky, a Russian-installed official in the southern region of Ukraine, claimed that the fire resulted from Ukrainian shelling of Enerhodar, the city near the power plant.

There have been no reports indicating any adverse impact on nuclear safety at the site from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Video footage displaying smoke emitting from one of the cooling towers has sparked speculation about whether this could potentially be a tactic to elevate tensions in response to Ukraine’s ongoing incursion.

Late on Sunday, the state-run Tass news agency reported that the main fire at the plant was extinguished, while Russian and Ukrainian sources confirmed that one of the cooling towers sustained damages.

There is speculation regarding Ukraine’s ambitions to capture a Russian nuclear power plant located in Kurchatov near Kursk, although it lies more than 30 miles away from current combat zones and reaching that point appears to be a considerable challenge for Ukrainian forces.

While officials in Ukraine have maintained vague communication about the purpose of the incursion, it is generally believed that this move aims to alleviate the pressure Ukrainian forces have been experiencing on the eastern Donbas front where Russian forces are currently making gradual advances. This also serves to send a message to both Russia and Ukraine’s western allies, showcasing Kyiv’s continued capability to launch successful attacks.

The Russian defense ministry announced that it had thwarted incursions by Ukrainian “mobile groups” in three villages situated north and east of Korenevo, with all being located 15 to 18 miles from the border. These reports reflect the furthest extent of incursions acknowledged by Moscow.

Video footage released by a pro-Ukrainian Telegram channel depicted soldiers raising a flag over a building in the Russian village of Guevo, which is situated just a few miles inside the border, around seven miles south of Sudzha, one of the first towns reached during the attack.

On Saturday, President Zelenskiy openly acknowledged the incursion into Kursk oblast for the first time, marking the initial instance of Ukrainian regular forces launching attacks within Russian territory since the beginning of the full-scale invasion in February 2022. He remarked that the efforts serve to apply crucial pressure on the aggressor.

Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for Russia’s foreign ministry, accused Ukraine of engaging in “terrorist activity” intended to instill fear among the Russian populace, dismissing the military rationale of these acts.

In Kursk, reports indicated that fifteen people were injured when debris from a missile strike hit an apartment building. Zakharova attributed injuries to a “massive missile strike” from Ukrainian forces.

Analysis from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) indicated that Russia is relying on a mixed force comprising conscripted border guards and elements redeployed from less critical frontline areas, which may be contributing to disorganization in their defensive responses.

Meanwhile, a missile strike near Kyiv resulted in the tragic deaths of a man and his young son, as explosions were reported in the central and eastern regions after two Russian missiles were reportedly headed toward the city.