Forged from the remnants of the Soviet Spetsnaz, Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces have become a vital pillar of the country’s current defense, playing their role in some of the war’s most decisive engagements – from Kyiv to Donbas, and to Kursk Oblast in Russia.
Ukraine was jubilant on June 1 as news filtered through of a stunning drone attack targeting Russian heavy bombers that simultaneously attacked four air bases, two of them thousands of miles inside Russia. The Kyiv Independent's Chris York explains everything we know about Operation Spiderweb.
"While the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, (Valery) Gerasimov, reports the 'liberation' of the Kursk region from Ukraine’s Security and Defense Forces, operators of the 73rd Naval Special Operations Center continue to carry out missions in the area successfully," the military said.
The Ka-52 "Alligator" is designed for reconnaissance and precision strikes, while the Mi-8 serves as a versatile transport and assault helicopter. Both have been actively used in Russia's war against Ukraine.
Key developments on Feb. 17: * Russia's Lavrov rules out territorial concessions as part of Ukraine peace talks * Ukraine strikes Ilsky Oil Refinery in Russia's Krasnodar Krai, SBU source says * Up to 30,000 European troops reportedly could be deployed to monitor Ukraine ceasefire, Washington Post reports * Zelensky hopes Kellogg will
Ukrainian troops reportedly held their positions for two days amid "intense fighting," during which 23 Russian soldiers were killed.
Key developments on Jan. 27: * North Korean troops seem to temporarily withdraw from one section of front in Kursk Oblast, military says * Russia claims to capture Velyka Novosilka, Ukraine admits partial retreat but says battles ongoing * Russia intensifies attacks near Pokrovsk, seeks to encircle Ukrainian forces * Zelensky appoints Ground Forces
Key developments on Jan. 22: * Ukraine's Special Forces say they killed 21 North Korean soldiers, show combat footage * Kyiv court arrests three senior officers accused of failed defense of Kharkiv Oblast * Russia lacks manpower for major breakthrough in Ukraine, top NATO general says * Russia issued ultimatum to Ukraine in 2022
Soldiers of the 8th Regiment of Ukraine's Special Operations Forces resisted an assault of North Korean soldiers in Russia’s Kursk Oblast for eight hours, killing 21 and wounding 40, the unit said on Jan. 22.
The captured Russians were identified as marines from the 40th Arctic Brigade.
Editor's note: In accordance with the security protocols of the Ukrainian military, soldiers featured in this story are identified by first names and callsigns only. It was a month-long mission with one primary goal — capturing a North Korean soldier alive. One of the biggest obstacles facing the Ukrainian forces tasked
Since the new push in Russia’s Kursk Oblast in early January, Ukraine has made small gains and managed to capture the first North Korean prisoners of war in the area but experts have raised concerns about Kyiv’s use of limited resources while fierce battles rage elsewhere. The assessment
A Ukrainian mopping-up group encountered one surviving North Korean fighter who had set an unsuccessful trap. The soldier attempted to mislead the Ukrainian soldiers and then detonated a grenade to avoid capture, fatally injuring himself, according to the Special Operations Forces.
Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces reported on Dec. 19 that they had killed 12 North Korean soldiers and injured 20 others, preventing their advance in Russia's Kursk Oblast.
Ukraine's Special Operations Forces killed 50 North Korean soldiers and injured 47 others in three days of fighting in Russia's Kursk Oblast, the unit said on Dec. 17.
"Where do Russian pontoon crossings 'disappear' in Kursk Oblast? Special forces operators and Defense Forces units are actually destroying them," the Special Operation Forces said on Telegram.
Ukrainian operators reportedly spotted the station on the frontline and hit it with one of the Special Operations Forces' newest weapons. Communication between the command post and Russian army units was disrupted, the military said.
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