Russia moves some units from Ukraine's south to Kursk, Kyiv says

Russia has moved parts of its units from several directions in Ukraine, including the south sector to reinforce its defenses in Kursk Oblast, Dmytro Lykhovii, a spokesperson for Ukraine's Tavria Group, said on Aug. 12.

The Ukrainian military launched a surprise incursion across the border into Kursk Oblast on Aug. 6, bringing regular Ukrainian forces into Russia for the first time.

Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi reported that Ukrainian forces control abound 1,000 square kilometers in Kursk Oblast. The Kyiv Independent couldn't independently verify this claim.

Speaking on the national TV, Lykhovii said that Russia is redeploying its units not only to the Kursk sector, where it has "holes in its defense," but also to other directions.

The Ukrainian military needs time to understand Moscow's intentions, he added.

"When there were numerous Russian personnel, there were fewer assault actions, and when they started to withdraw to the Kursk direction, there was a sharp increase in activity in the sector on the left bank of the Dnipro River," the spokesperson said on

"It will take a few days to understand whether these were Russian demonstrative actions, when they allegedly want to show that despite the decrease of their defensive orders, they are able to attack, or whether it is some other plan."

According to Lykhovii, the number of assault attempts by Russian troops in the Tavria sector is "ten times less" than in the Pokrovsk sector, but this does not mean "a lull."

As Russian forces concentrate more of their recourses in Donetsk Oblast, the situation near Pokrovsk remains "extremely challenging," President Volodymyr Zelensky said in late July.

According to Zelensky, Ukraine's incursion is "solely a security issue," and the country aims to liberate the border from Russian soldiers to protect Sumy Oblast from Moscow's daily attacks.

Kursk is Putin’s catastrophe, Zelensky says

“We see how Russia under (President Vladimir) Putin is actually moving: 24 years ago, there was the Kursk (submarine) disaster, which was the symbolic beginning of his rule. Now we can see what is the end for him. And it’s Kursk, too. The catastrophe of his war,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Denisova