On 4 May, Ukrainian warplanes smashed a Russian drone command post near Tyotkino in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, according to the General Staff.
The crews of reconnaissance and strike drones were based at this site.
“As a result of the strike, up to 20 occupiers were eliminated and their equipment destroyed,” the Ukrainian military explained.
The General Staff added that the Ukrainian Air Force, together with the Defense Forces, continues to take the fight to Russia’s war machine, disrupting its command posts, slashing its drone operations, and grinding down its capacity to wage war.
Earlier, Russian Telegram channels reported that 250 Ukrainian soldiers and over 15 units of heavy equipment participated in the fresh assault in Kursk Oblast, including infantry transported on quad bikes. Russian sources claim the operation aimed to cut off the settlement of Tyotkino, with Ukrainian forces approaching in two armored groups.
Ukraine launches new border offensive in Kursk, despite Russian complete “liberation” claims
Russian forces responded with aviation support, and reports indicate several Ukrainian vehicles were allegedly destroyed, including ten quad bikes, a tank, two breach vehicles, and a mobile bridge system.
Ukrainian troops breached Russian border fortifications near Tyotkino from two sides, close to the settlements of Novyi Shlyakh and Zoria, Espreso has reported.
These areas lie in the Hlukhiv district, about 60 kilometers from the Sudzhansky district, where battles had previously taken place, says Serhii Zghurets, the head of Defense Express.
“The goal is to block this area and force Russia to divert troops to the new flashpoint. Crucially, this push comes just ahead of Russia’s annual 9 May Victory Day parade, a highly symbolic moment. The timing is no accident,” he says.
The move is both military and political. Russia will be forced to respond, but the terrain and limited infrastructure make its countermoves slow and costly. And this story isn’t over—it is likely to evolve further.
Notably, on 5 May, General Oleksandr Syrskyi announced that Ukraine’s nine-month-long operation in the Kursk Oblast had met all its objectives. He emphasized that unconventional tactics and bold decisions had enabled Ukrainian forces to strike and destroy Russian troops even on their own territory.
