Ukraine's 47th Mechanized Brigade said on Jan. 9 that it had, together with other units, repelled a "massive" Russian assault in the embattled Kursk Oblast, releasing footage of the engagement.
The report came days after Ukraine reportedly launched renewed offensive operations in Kursk Oblast, which is seen as a crucial bargaining chip for potential peace negotiations. Almost 50 Russian ground assaults were repelled in Kursk Oblast over the past day, the General Staff said.
The Russian attack reportedly involved about 50 vehicles, including tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, armored personnel carriers, and buggies.
According to the brigade, Russian troops initially tried to demine the approaches to Ukrainian positions and attacked in six waves. Russia deployed "a huge number of soldiers," with Ukrainian forces killing 45 troops and injuring 53, the military claimed.
"Tanks, BMP-2, BMD, APCs (armored personnel carriers), buggies and Lancets — our soldiers and comrades burned Russian equipment worth tens of millions of dollars," the brigade said.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify these claims.
No further details on the attack were disclosed. The Russian military has not commented on Ukraine's claim.
Ukrainian forces launched a large-scale operation in Kursk Oblast in early August, allegedly capturing up to 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles) of Russian soil. Since then, Russia has deployed reinforcements — including North Korean soldiers — in the area and reportedly retook around half of the lost territory.
Kateryna Denisova
(Updated: )
