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ISW: Russian military prioritizing Donetsk advances over Kursk defense

US officials claim Russia has redeployed brigade-sized elements to Kursk Oblast, but sources suggest larger, better-trained units remain in Ukraine, reports CNN.

byMaria Tril

16/08/2024

2 minute read

Assessed control of terrain around Russia’s Kursk Oblast as of 14 August 2024. Credit: ISW

ISW: Russian military prioritizing Donetsk advances over Kursk defense

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported on 16 August that Russian forces are maintaining a high offensive tempo in Donetsk Oblast, indicating that the Russian military command continues to prioritize advances in eastern Ukraine despite Ukrainian pressure on Russian forces in Kursk Oblast.

According to the ISW, Russian forces are pursuing a tactical encirclement of Ukrainian forces southeast of Pokrovsk. Geolocated footage from August 14 and 15 shows recent Russian advances east and southeast of Pokrovsk, with the ISW assessing that Russian forces have likely seized the towns of Orlivka and Zhelanne.

The report also highlights ongoing Russian mechanized assaults near Donetsk City. Geolocated footage from mid-August shows Ukrainian forces repelling Russian mechanized assaults near Heorhiivka and Mykilske.

Ukrainian Tavriisk Group of Forces Spokesperson Captain Dmytro Lykhovyi said on 15 August that “there have been no significant changes to the Russian force grouping in southern Ukraine and that Russian forces are not decreasing their offensive operations in the area.”

Regarding the situation in Kursk Oblast, CNN reported on 15 August that senior US officials claim Russia has redeployed multiple “brigade-sized” elements of at least 1,000 personnel each to the region. However, sources familiar with Western intelligence suggest that larger and better-trained elements are not being moved from Ukraine to Kursk Oblast.

The ISW assesses that “the Russian military command is pulling select elements of Russian irregular units from Donetsk Oblast to address the Ukrainian incursion in Kursk Oblast but will likely be extremely averse to pulling Russian military units engaged in combat from priority sectors in Donetsk Oblast out of concerns about slowing the tempo of Russian operations in these areas.”

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