What is known about the situation in Kursk region as of September 17

Since early August, Russia's Kursk region has become the scene of fierce fighting between Russian troops and the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF). Russian forces continue to repel enemy attacks, destroying military equipment and inflicting significant losses in manpower. The Russian Ministry of Defense regularly releases updates on the progress of the fighting and measures to protect the border regions, News.Az reports citing foreign media.

In the past 24 hours, Russian forces, supported by army aviation and artillery, repelled five attempts by the UAF to break through the Russian border near the villages of Veseloe and Medvezhye, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense. The Ukrainian army reportedly lost up to 40 soldiers, two tanks, an infantry fighting vehicle (CV-90), four armored vehicles, and an engineering machine.

Russian "Sever" (North) military units led offensive operations in the region, targeting Ukrainian forces near settlements such as Lyubimovka, Malaya Loknya, Daryino, Nikolo-Daryino, Tolstiy Lug, and Plekhovo. Russian forces also thwarted several enemy attacks towards the villages of Lyubimovka, Malaya Loknya, Olgovka, and Cherkasskaya Konopelka.

Air and artillery strikes hit Ukrainian reserves across 19 settlements in the Kursk region. Additionally, Russian forces launched attacks on Ukrainian reserves in Sumy Oblast. The total Ukrainian losses in the past 24 hours amounted to up to 400 personnel and 19 armored vehicles. Since the beginning of the conflict in the Kursk direction, Ukrainian forces have reportedly lost over 14,200 personnel.

Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov chaired a meeting of the Coordination Council on Military Security for the border regions of Belgorod, Bryansk, and Kursk. The meeting addressed measures for protecting civilians and infrastructure in these areas. Reports on the current military situation, along with efforts to ensure timely supplies of weapons, military equipment, and logistical support, were also discussed.

The border regions continue to face attacks. On September 17, Bryansk Governor Alexander Bogomaz reported that Russian air defense forces shot down eight UAVs overnight, followed by seven more later in the day. In the Kursk region, two Ukrainian missiles were intercepted by air defenses.

Governor of Kursk, Alexey Smirnov, announced the arrival of aid from the Chechen Republic, including essential equipment for the newly formed "Bars-Kursk" detachment. The supplies were delivered by Apti Alaudinov, commander of the "Akhmat" special forces. Smirnov expressed gratitude to Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov for the support, emphasizing the contribution to regional security.

Additionally, Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova reported that humanitarian aid from the Union of Armenians of Russia had been delivered to temporary accommodation centers in Kursk. The shipment included 22 tons of vegetable preserves and 20 tons of drinking water.

Recent media reports, including from Kommersant, highlighted a collective letter from residents of Sudzha and Sudzhansky District, calling for the establishment of a humanitarian corridor to evacuate civilians. However, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that the Russian government had not received such a request.

Apti Alaudinov, commander of the "Akhmat" special forces, reported the presence of foreign military instructors in the Sudzha area. According to him, these instructors are not on the front lines but are stationed in the region. Russian special forces have successfully eliminated Ukrainian infantry attempting to fortify positions near Sudzha.

In the Donetsk direction, Alaudinov noted that Ukrainian forces face a deteriorating situation, with many soldiers reportedly refusing to fight or follow orders.

News.Az