Key developments on Aug. 20:
- Russian pontoon crossing in Kursk Oblast 'disappears' in possible blast, RFE/RL reports
- Ukraine advances 28-35 km in Kursk Oblast, Syrskyi says
- Ukraine's military says battles ongoing in Niu-York amid Russia's reported advance
- Defected Russian soldier reveals he spied for Ukraine, injured his commander
- Russia preparing new attacks in Vovchansk in Kharkiv Oblast, military says.
- Russia issues information security alert in regions bordering Ukraine amid Kursk incursion.
One of at least two pontoon bridges built by Russia over the Seim River in Kursk Oblast is no longer visible in satellite imagery, and smoke was detected in the area, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) reported on Aug. 19.
The news came shortly after Ukraine allegedly struck the third and final stationary bridge over the river in the Glushkovsky district, threatening to cut off Russian supply lines in the area amid Kyiv's ongoing incursion.
Citing images recorded by NASA satellites, RFE/RL said that the pontoon bridge built by the Russian military between Zvannoe and Glushkovo – the two settlements that hosted two of the targeted fixed bridges – is no longer visible as of Aug. 19.
1/3 Курська область: понтонна переправа російських військових через річку Сейм зникла - поруч видно дим. pic.twitter.com/uuTea8HMPj
— Радіо Свобода (@radiosvoboda) August 20, 2024
The footage also recorded smoke rising 500 meters away from the pontoon crossing's previous spot, "presumably from an explosion," RFE/RL wrote.
There has been no official report of a possible attack against the crossing.
Russian forces began setting up pontoon crossings across the Seim River in the wake of Ukrainian attacks against the stationary bridges. Another pontoon bridge, built east of Glushkovo, is still visible as of Aug. 19, the outlet said.
Kyiv confirmed successful attacks against the bridges in Zvannoe and Glushkovo but is yet to comment on the attack against Karyzh, the westernmost of the three settlements. The Air Force declined to comment following a request by the Kyiv Independent.
The loss of the crossings across the Seim River could present a serious challenge to Russian troops stationed in the Glushkovsky district, who are lodged between the river to the north, Ukraine's Sumy Oblast to the west and south, and Ukrainian-held territories of Kursk Oblast to the east.
Ukraine advances 28-35 km in Kursk Oblast, Syrskyi says
Ukrainian forces have advanced 28-35 kilometers (18-21 miles) into Russia's Kursk Oblast and taken control of 93 settlements, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi reported at an event chaired by President Volodymyr Zelensky on Aug. 20.
According to Syrskyi, Ukraine has captured 1,263 square kilometers (488 square miles) of Russian territory to date. These figures could not be independently verified by the Kyiv Independent.
Syrskyi described the wider front line situation as challenging, with Ukrainian Defense Forces engaged along a 1,040-kilometer (649-mile) front.
Syrskyi noted that Ukrainian efforts are concentrated in the Slobozhanskyi direction, which includes Kharkiv, Sumy, and Luhansk oblasts, as well as in the Donetsk and Tavriia directions, encompassing Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Kherson oblasts.
He added that the Russian army is conducting a maneuver defense, shifting forces from other areas to block Ukrainian advances.
Martin Fornusek
Ukraine's military says battles ongoing in Niu-York amid Russia's reported advance
The Ukrainian military said on Aug. 20 that clashes are ongoing at the village of Niu-York in Donetsk Oblast as multiple sources point to a rapid Russian advance deep into the settlement.
Niu-York lies just south of Toretsk, a key front-line town that has become one of the focal points of the Russian offensive in Donetsk Oblast.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said on Aug. 19 that according to Russian pro-war bloggers, Moscow's troops have effectively seized the settlement and are clearing its northern areas while pushing to Nelipivka further north.
Russian sources provided no visual confirmation of the claim, the ISW stressed.
The Ukrainian crowd-sourced tracking site DeepState provided a similar estimate, claiming that almost the entire settlement is in Russian hands except for the outskirts in the west, north, and northeast.
The Ukrainian military did not comment on the claims and instead said that heavy fighting is ongoing in the Toretsk sector, including in Niu-York.
Russian forces attempted 24 ground attacks in the area of Niu-York, Nelipivka, Zalizne, Pivnichne, and near Toretsk over the past day, the Khorytsia group of forces said on Telegram.
Nazar Voloshyn, the spokesperson for the Khortytsia group, did not provide further details following the Kyiv Independent's request for comment.
Ukrainska Pravda said that according to its military sources, Ukrainian troops continue to hold out in the northern part of the settlement.
Chris York
Defected Russian soldier reveals he spied for Ukraine, injured his commander
A Russian soldier who defected through a joint operation of the Freedom of Russia Legion and Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) project "I Want to Live" conducted espionage and injured his commander in a grenade attack, HUR revealed at a press conference on Aug. 20 attended by a Kyiv Independent reporter.
The 24-year-old soldier, codenamed "Silver," contacted the legion in early 2024 after witnessing a variety of criminal acts committed by his unit and commanders.
"Silver" then reportedly provided clandestine information to the legion about the location of Russian troops and plans for military operations.
Due to "disagreement with the command and authority" of Russia, "Silver" then said he threw a grenade down a ventilation shaft into where his commander was sleeping. The incident took place near the town of Ocheretyne in Donetsk Oblast.
At the press conference, "Silver" said that the commander was injured as a result of the grenade attack but was unsure of the extent of his injuries. The commander's deputy may have also been injured, he added. He then escaped and met with military intelligence officials and representatives of the legion.
Originally, "Silver" studied to be a combat paramedic and served as a conscript in a drone company before Russia's full-scale invasion.
In September 2023, "Silver" found out about the legion and decided to fight alongside Ukraine. He figured "that the best option would be to sign a contract with the Russian Defense Ministry in order to cross the border."
Shortly after, he found that he had been assigned to a so-called "Storm-Z" unit, which are often used in human-wave type assaults that result in heavy casualties.
"Silver" is now undergoing a training course for new recruits to the legion and will soon go fight against Russia.
Myroslava Tanska-Vikulova
Russia preparing new attacks in Vovchansk in Kharkiv Oblast, military says.
Russia has increased aerial reconnaissance and is preparing new assault operations in Vovchansk in Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine's Kharkiv group of forces reported on Aug. 20.
Vovchansk is an embattled town some 60 kilometers (37 miles) northeast of Kharkiv that has seen heavy battles since Russia launched a new offensive in the area in May.
"In Vovchansk, the enemy has increased aerial reconnaissance and is preparing for assault operations," the military's statement read.
Russia has also intensified aerial reconnaissance in Hlyboke, a village roughly 35 kilometers (22 miles) west of Vovchansk, and is redeploying units of the 11th Tank Regiment of the 18th Motorized Rife Division, according to the statement.
Russian forces are reportedly forming assault groups from the 7th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 11th Army Corps near Lyptsi – a village just south of Hlyboke – to "replenish their losses."
Five clashes took place over the past day, with Russia losing 76 soldiers killed and wounded, and one of them captured. Moscow's troops also lost one tank, 10 artillery systems, 57 drones, and other equipment, the military said.
While initially gaining ground in May, the Russian offensive in northern Kharkiv Oblast has quickly bogged down, with Russian troops reportedly suffering heavy losses. The intensity of fighting has decreased somewhat compared to other sectors, though several reports of Russia preparing new attacks have emerged since then.
Chris York
Russia issues information security alert in regions bordering Ukraine amid Kursk incursion
The Russian Interior Ministry issued a memo on information security for residents and law enforcement residing in the country's Bryansk, Kursk, and Belgorod oblasts, which border Ukraine.
The memo was issued amid the Ukrainian military's ongoing incursion into Russia's Kursk Oblast, which began on Aug. 6. Ukraine has reportedly since gained control of over 1,000 square kilometers and dozens of Russian settlements.
The memo advises against using CCTV cameras, as Ukrainian forces can allegedly access them remotely. It also warns against using online dating services for similar security concerns.
Service members are instructed to avoid opening messages or links from unknown contacts and to refrain from using phones with sensitive official or personal data that could fall into enemy hands.
The Russian government also urges citizens not to post videos or livestreams on social media, especially on highways shared with military vehicles.
Military personnel and law enforcement officers are encouraged to turn off Telegram's "People Nearby" feature, remove photos, and change nicknames that indicate their affiliation with the military or government. They are also advised to conceal personal data, remove geotags from social media, and avoid linking photos to their locations.
Employees in the energy and nuclear sectors are advised to hide their professional affiliations on social media to prevent identification by Ukrainian intelligence.
The Russian government announced a so-called "counter-terrorist operation" on Aug. 10 in Bryansk, Kursk, and Belgorod oblasts.
Owen Racer
