Today there are a lot of interesting updates from the Kursk direction, Russia.
Here, after securing a bridgehead from previous North Korean attacks, the main Russian forces initiated a decisive counterattack meant to collapse the main Ukrainian defenses in front of Malaya Loknya. However, a lack of the element of surprise and overconfidence in their mechanized units among Russians led to a disastrous outcome as the Ukrainians readily engaged them.
The Russian objective, supported by North Korean troops, is to capture Novoivanovka, a key Ukrainian stronghold that has withstood Russian assaults for over two months. To break its defenses, Russian forces launched a flanking maneuver to sever the village’s supply route, aiming to force a Ukrainian withdrawal. Success here would allow them to bypass the primary Ukrainian defenses and pave the way for a direct assault on Malaya Loknya.
The Russian operation was made possible by North Korean control of the tactically vital forests near Kruglenkoe, north of Novoivanovka. Faced with the futility of direct attacks, Russian generals opted to leverage the high ground near Kruglenkoe, secured by North Koreans, to outflank Novoivanovka’s defenses from the north.
A topographic map reveals that Russian positions north of Novoivanovka are situated on higher ground, giving them a significant tactical advantage. The Ukrainian forces, positioned in the lowlands, lacked fire control over the advancing Russian mechanized units, as these units remained outside their field of view. This elevation disparity enabled the Russians to advance swiftly toward the road, unimpeded by crossfire, until reaching the same level as the Ukrainian defenders.
However, unlike the frontal assaults at Novoivanovka, Russian forces near Kruglenke are hindered by the need to traverse dirt roads or open fields, slowing their vehicles significantly on rough terrain. Compounding these tactical disadvantages, earlier North Korean assaults eliminated any chance of surprise, prompting Ukrainian drone operators to closely monitor the area for further attacks. Additionally, Ukrainian forces had artillery batteries and anti-tank missile posts strategically positioned and ready to repel the advancing Russians.
The Ukrainians’ primary defensive advantage lies in their stable positions in Novoivanovka, Leonidovka, and Malaya Loknya, which enable effective counterattacks against Russian forces attempting to secure the Malaya Loknya-Novoivanovka road.
With fire control over this narrow corridor, Ukrainian defenders can inflict heavy losses on the Russian assault units and then mobilize troops from nearby settlements to eliminate any remaining Russian presence around the road.
Combat footage from the area reveals how the Russians tried to deploy their stormtroopers on board BTR-82A armored transport vehicles at tree lines near the main road after they managed to move down from the higher elevations with almost no resistance until that point.
However, once the Russian column reached the road and stopped to dismount their stormtroopers, they quickly became vulnerable to Ukrainian fire from the positions to the south of the road, which is situated at the same elevation, which allowed them to effectively target the Russian forces.
The Russian vehicles found themselves within the two-kilometer range of the Ukrainian anti-tank guided missiles in the area, which managed to effectively destroy the BTRs in coordination with drone strikes and artillery fire.
Once the Russian BTR crews realized what was going on, they attempted to drive away in panic, only to crash and roll over their vehicle. As the panic and disorganization spread among the Russian ranks amidst the sudden Ukrainian fire, it only accelerated their defeat as all of them got eliminated during their attempts to escape and survive.
Overall, the Russian attempt to sever the crucial logistics route between Novoivanovka and Malaya Loknya, to advance their offensive, ended in disaster. The assault was swiftly repelled, with Russian forces eliminated within minutes. Their failure to secure this key road ensures continued Ukrainian use of it to maintain their defensive line at Novoivanovka. The Ukrainian preparedness and the failure of the initial attack will likely compel the Russians to restart their frontal assaults on Novoivanovka itself.
In our regular frontline report, we pair up with the military blogger Reporting from Ukraine to keep you informed about what is happening on the battlefield in the Russo-Ukrainian war.
