Vladimir Putin has warned Ukraine of “major provocation” as intense cross border attack enters its third day in the region of Kursk which has seen more than 3,000 residents evacuated.
Ukrainian soldiers have moved more than six miles inside Russia and broke through two defensive lines, as such a state of emergency has been declared as fierce fighting is underway, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
More than 1,000 Ukrainian troops crossed into the Russian Federation near to the town of Sudzha, the Kremlin has confirmed.
Heavy fighting is taking place in two areas Sudzha and Korenevo and the deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev wrote that they must “defeat the enemy.”
Russian bloggers have blasted Russian army leaders as they have failed to stop the cross-border attack.
On Tuesday Ukrainian troops, armoured vehicles and tanks crossed into the Kursk region, which has been seen as one of the worst and most serious incursions undertaken by pro-Kyiv’s forces.
Russian military blogger channel, Rybar wrote, “The enemy has been accumulating forces for two months.”
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Rybar added, “For two months the full information was sent to the useless headquarters. There was enough time to make an appropriate decision.”
Military blogger Yuri Kotenok said the fighting is “heavy” and the Rybar Telegram channel said Ukraine are preparing for more attacks inside Russia.
The Rybar channel said, “Despite the active transfer of reinforcements, the rapid build-up of the cover group and the attraction of reserves, the main problem has not yet been resolved.
“The number of Ukrainian formations, reserves of military equipment in the direction and the military potential of the enemy have not been exhausted.
“The second echelon is preparing to enter the battle: there is a high concentration of forces in other directions of the Kursk region.”
Influential blogger, Anastasia Kashevarova blasted that the Russian military leadership are continuing “to make mistakes and lie,” she added, “Every day they make mistakes that cost our fighters their lives.”
A well-known Ukrainian-born pro-Russian military blogger Yuri Podolyaka said, “Sudzha [a district in Kursk] is basically lost to us. And this is an important logistics hub,” he added, Ukrainian forces are now pushing north towards Lgov.
Medvedev is urging the Kremlin to “mercilessly” hit Ukraine hard for the cross-border attack.
Medvedev wrote on Telegram, “It is necessary to learn a lesson from the actions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the border of the Kursk region and mercilessly defeat the enemy.
“From this moment, the North Military District must acquire an openly extraterritorial character.
“This is no longer just an operation to return our official territories and punish the Nazis.
“It is possible and necessary to go to the lands of the still existing Ukraine. To Odessa, to Kharkov, to Dnepropetrovsk, to Nikolaev. To Kyiv and further.”
Russia’s military chief Vallery Gerasimov said that the Ukrainian advance has been thwarted and Russian troops are “continuing to destroy the adversary in areas directly adjacent to the Russian-Ukrainian border.”
Moscow insists that Russian troops have stopped Ukrainian advance in the Kursk region, the Federal Security Service (FSB) “keep destroying Ukrainian armed formations in the Sudzha and Korenevo districts of the Kursk Region directly adjacent to the Russia-Ukraine border.”
The Defence Ministry said in a statement, “Over the past 24 hours, active operations by state border protection forces operating jointly with border guards, reinforcement units and deployed reserves, air and missile strikes and artillery fire have prevented the enemy’s advance.
“The troops are striking uncovered clusters of Ukrainian manpower and equipment. They are thwarting attempts by separate enemy units to break through deep into the territory in the Kursk area.”
