Russian Ministry Of Defense Says Battle In Kursk Still Continues

War illustration (NHKnews)

JAKARTA - Russia announced that fighting with Ukrainian troops in the Russian Kursk region is still ongoing. However, it did not comment on Kiev' claim that they had taken control of Sudzha City.

The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement that the Sever (North) troop group unit continued to push Ukrainian armed formations out of Russian territory.

"Article attacks, unmanned aircraft, and military artillery fire targeted the concentration of Ukrainian personnel and equipment, in particular two mechanical units, a brigade of Ukrainian armed forces strikers, and a National Guard brigade. Efforts to bring in reinforcements were also thwarted," the statement said, citing Antara.

Ukrainian forces tried to break through Russia's defenses towards Russkoye Porechnoye, preventing border crossings by attack groups near the Gordeyevka settlements, stopping groups trying to advance deep into Russian territory near the settlements of Anastasyevka and Kauchuk, according to the ministry's records.

In the residential areas of Yunakovka and Miropole, high-precision missile attacks destroyed three US-made HIMARS double-launch rocket launchers, two cargo transport vehicles, and two escort vehicles, he said.

According to the ministry, Ukrainian forces suffered heavy losses in terms of human resources and military equipment.

The ministry also claims that Russian troops are taking control of other Ukrainian settlements -- Serhiivka, in the Donetsk region -- following operations carried out by the Tcentr (Central) troop group.

In addition, the ministry also reported that Ukraine had tried to carry out a large-scale attack on the Kerch Bridge, which connects the Crimean Peninsula to mainland Russia, using 12 US-made ATACMS missiles.

Over the past week, Russian aviation forces and missiles carried out 17 coordinated attacks with high-precision weapons and unmanned aircraft against Ukrainian military industrial facilities, airport infrastructure, and assembly sites and storage of attack drones, the statement added.