First Ukrainian troops crossed into Kursk Oblast 2 days before incursion, commander says
Soldiers of Ukraine's 80th Air Assault Brigade crossed into Kursk Oblast two days before Kyiv launched its operation in the Russian region, aiding the subsequent offensive, Pavlo Rozlach, the brigade's commander, said in an interview with TSN news program aired on Oct. 13.
Ukraine launched its cross-border incursion into Kursk Oblast on Aug. 6, claiming to initially seize some 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles) but recently facing mounting pressure as Russia pulls in reinforcements.
According to Rozlach, one Ukrainian company sneaked into Kursk Oblast in groups of six soldiers and hid in the forest. Ukraine's Special Operations Forces helped them to cross the border.
When the operation began, the company attacked a Russian stronghold near the border. The successful operation paved the way for the entry of Ukrainian vehicles, the commander said.
Ukraine also disrupted Russia's communication system, which disoriented Russian forces, he added.
"There were certain risks. If the enemy had found this company, the element of surprise would have been lost," Rozlach said.
Afterward, two battalions reportedly broke through minefields thanks to engineers and kept on advancing in Kursk Oblast.
Following recent attacks by Russian forces against the Ukrainian salient in Kursk Oblast, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukrainian soldiers are holding the line despite Russian attempts to break through.
Moscow has transferred around 50,000 soldiers from other sectors of the front to Kursk Oblast, Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Oct. 10.
James Beardsworth
