The Russian army will have to significantly increase the number of its group by redeploying forces from the front in Ukraine. This is supposed to help an effective counteroffensive in the Kursk region.
Points of attention
- The Russian military command increased the number of forces in the Kursk region due to the successful advance of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which forced the transfer of troops from Ukraine for a counteroffensive.
- There is a possibility that the Russian Federation will concentrate even more troops in the Kursk region for a long counteroffensive operation.
- Ukrainian troops continue their offensive to the southwest of Hlushkovo in the area of Novy Puti, Vesely and Medvezhy, while Russian troops have problems with counterattacks.
The Russian Federation has increased the number of its troops in the Kursk region
As noted, the Russian military command has more than tripled the number of its forces in the Kursk region due to the successful advance of the Armed Forces, which captured several settlements in the region.
Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Russia has concentrated about 40,000 troops in the Kursk region and plans to increase this number to 60,000-70,000.
Also, according to Ukrainian military expert Kostyantyn Mashovets, in the Kursk region, the Northern group of Russian troops, which controls several districts of the region, has about 61 units with approximately 35,500 military personnel.
At the same time, the exact number of forces of each of the Russian structures, such as the Russian Guard, border guards, regular and irregular troops, as well as conscripts, remains unknown.
According to ISW analysts, the increase in the Russian group in the Kursk region indicates that due to the operational pressure caused by the invasion, the Russian command was forced to redeploy troops from Ukraine to the Kursk region, as well as introduce new forces from Russia instead of strengthening the front in Ukraine.
A Russian counteroffensive operation to recapture territory captured by Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region is likely to require even more troops and resources, leading to additional redeployment of troops from Ukrainian territory, the ISW report notes.
What is known about the situation in the Kursk region
As reported by the American Institute for the Study of War, on September 13, the Defense Forces of Ukraine were able to advance in the Glushkovsky District of the Kursk Region.
It is also worth noting that the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has not yet confirmed or commented on this information.
According to Russian bloggers and military leaders, Ukrainian soldiers launched an attack southwest of Hlushkovo in the area of Novy Puti, Vesely and Medvezhy (east of Vesely).
It is also impossible to ignore the fact that the new successful offensive actions of the Armed Forces are taking place against the background of the failed attempts of the Russian troops to counterattack and return the lost territories.
There is a high probability that the Russian invaders will soon transfer additional units from other parts of the theater of operations to the Kursk region to create a force group capable of conducting a sustained counteroffensive operation.
