Ukrainian troops have initiated a significant offensive in Russia’s western Kursk oblast, according to reports from Russian military bloggers on Sunday. The assault began with a sudden breach of the border on August 6, and over the past five months, Ukrainian forces have successfully resisted Russian efforts to push them back.

Insights from these bloggers, who generally support Moscow’s stance in the Ukraine conflict yet have been critical of certain military setbacks, suggest that the latest Ukrainian push has forced Russian troops into a defensive posture. The Operativnye Svodki (Operational Reports) channel stated, “Our units are valiantly maintaining their positions despite intense enemy pressure,” highlighting ongoing artillery exchanges and infantry engagements. They also noted that Ukraine is deploying Western-supplied armored vehicles to transport large infantry contingents.

While Reuters has been unable to independently verify these claims, the reports indicate that the fighting is primarily centered around the vicinity of Bolshoye Soldatskoye. Contrarily, prominent blogger Yuri Podolyak speculated that this might be a diversionary tactic by Ukraine, potentially setting the stage for an attack on Glushkovo to the west. He advised residents in Glushkovo and Korenevo to evacuate for safety.

According to assessments from both Ukrainian and Western sources, approximately 11,000 soldiers from North Korea, an ally of Russia, have been stationed in the Kursk region to bolster Moscow’s defenses. Russia has not officially confirmed or denied the presence of these North Korean troops. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced on Saturday that Russian and North Korean forces have incurred substantial casualties. “In the recent clashes near Makhnovka in the Kursk region, the Russian military has lost up to a battalion of North Korean infantry and Russian paratroopers,” Zelenskiy stated, though he did not provide specific numbers. Typically, a battalion comprises several hundred soldiers.

In response to inquiries during his extensive annual phone-in last month, Russian President Vladimir Putin assured that Russian forces would certainly reclaim Kursk from Ukrainian control but did not specify a timeline for this operation. The Russian Defense Ministry’s latest battlefield update on Sunday made no mention of Kursk.

Ukraine’s unexpected achievement in seizing and maintaining a portion of Russian territory since last August may serve as a crucial leverage point as both nations prepare for potential peace negotiations later this year. Both sides are aiming to strengthen their military positions ahead of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20, during which Trump has pledged to swiftly end the conflict, though he has not outlined his plans to do so.

However, Ukraine’s deployment of some of its most capable units to the Kursk front has left its eastern defenses less robust, where Russian forces have been advancing at their fastest rate since 2022. On Saturday, the Ukrainian military identified the area near Pokrovsk, a key transportation hub for roads and railways, as the “hottest” frontline due to persistent Russian assaults.

Additionally, Ukraine’s air defense systems successfully intercepted 61 out of 103 drones launched by Russia during an overnight assault, according to the Ukrainian Air Force. Conversely, Russia reported the destruction of five Ukrainian drones within its own territory.