Today, there is interesting news from the Russian Federation.
Here, Ukraine conducted another daring assault on enemy territory as Russian forces were throwing in everything they had to sabotage the Ukrainian withdrawal from Kursk. The new Ukrainian operation sought to disrupt the focus of Russian commanders, forcing them to split their resources.
In a bold maneuver, Ukrainian forces launched an incursion into Russia’s Belgorod region, aiming to divert Russian attention and relieve the pressure from the ongoing withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Kursk by creating problems for the Russians elsewhere.
Russia had concentrated forces on Kursk, attempting to pin down Ukrainian troops and inflict heavy losses during their withdrawal. A well-executed retreat in good order was critical for Ukraine, not only to preserve manpower and equipment but to prevent Russia from gaining dangerous momentum and achieving a breakthrough into Sumy Oblast. The Belgorod incursion served as a pressure valve, forcing the Russian command to react and redeploy forces away from Kursk.
The operation targeted the Belgorod region, southeast of the Kursk incursion, exploiting Russia’s defensive vulnerabilities and stirring panic.
By striking at Russian border settlements, the choice of Belgorod was important, close enough to the Kursk front to force a reaction but distant enough to prevent an immediate Russian counteroffensive.
By the time of the Belgorod operation, Ukraine had already pulled back most of its forces from Kursk, including its elite assault units, special forces, artillery, and Western armored vehicles. These assets had been held in reserve due to Russian FPV fiber optics drone activity in the Kursk sector and were available for a high-intensity diversionary strike.
This allowed Ukraine to deploy refreshed, well-equipped troops in an unexpected sector, overwhelming Russian defenses.
Ukraine’s assault faced a mix of obstacles, including minefields, dragon’s teeth fortifications, and entrenched artillery. However, meticulous preparation neutralized these challenges. Ukrainian engineering units, supported by UR-77 “Meteorite” demining systems, cleared a passage in the minefield for engineering demining machines, armored vehicles, and tanks, ensuring a swift advance.
The existing anti-tank dragon’s teeth obstacles were destroyed before Russian forces could react or even notice this, allowing Ukrainian armor to advance unimpeded.
Geolocated footage from the region shows how Ukrainian drones and counterbattery fire systematically dismantled Russian artillery positions and deployment sites, weakening defensive lines. Another video from a Ukrainian SHARK surveillance drone shows how it corrected a HIMARS strike, which delivered an accurate cluster missile hit on a Russian position.
With these barriers eliminated, Ukrainian special forces operators and small armored assault groups surged into Belgorod, seizing multiple settlements and forcing Russian units into disorderly retreats, while the Ukrainians were being constantly supported by artillery and drone reconnaissance.
The Belgorod region’s forests, rivers, and lakes played a crucial role in Ukrainian strategy. After capturing the villages of Demidovka and Popovka, Ukrainian troops capitalized on natural barriers, using forests for cover, rivers as defensive obstacles, and high-ground positions to create an all-round defense. The destruction of key bridges in Grafovka and Nadezhevka disrupted Russian movements and logistics, making it difficult for Russian reinforcements to respond quickly to counter the Ukrainian advance. This allowed the Ukrainians to entrench themselves before Russian reinforcements could mount a counteroffensive.
Despite being a limited operation, the Belgorod incursion caused alarm among Russian analysts and military journalists. Reports confirmed Ukrainian control over Demidovka and Popovka, with Russian forces scrambling to retake lost ground. The psychological impact on the Russian command was immediate.
Prominent Russian military analysts expressed deep concern over the incursions, while reports indicated that the Russian high command had begun shifting forces from Kursk to Belgorod, precisely the outcome Ukraine sought.
Overall, while not a large-scale offensive, Ukraine’s Belgorod incursion quickly achieved its primary objective, diverting Russian attention and resources away from Kursk. By forcing the enemy to react, Ukraine ensured that its withdrawal in Kursk continued in an organized manner, while also demonstrating its ability to strike deep into Russian territory repeatedly.
Whether this operation expands further remains uncertain, but its immediate effect is undeniable: Russia is now on the defensive, scrambling to create a task force in another direction to contain yet another Ukrainian breakthrough.
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.
