Ukrainian War, Kiev Conquers 82 Cities in Kursk. Moscow Sends Reinforcements –

The Ukrainian army controls 82 localities and 1,150 km2 of the Russian Kursk region. This was stated by the military commander of the Kiev forces 9 days after the start of the offensive of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on Russian soil. “In total, since the beginning of operations in the Kursk region, our troops have advanced 35 kilometers inland,” said the head of the Ukrainian forces, Oleksandr Syrsky, at a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. “We have taken control of 1,150 km2 of territory and 82 localities,” he added, reiterating that the situation is “under control.” The Ukrainian army, Syrsky added, has also established an administrative office in the Russian Kursk region. “A military commander’s office has been established to maintain law and order and meet the priority needs of the population in the controlled territories,” Syrsky told Zelensky. The latter announced that Ukrainian forces have taken full control of the Russian city of Sudzha.

Moscow does not confirm Kiev’s version and says that the Russian army has regained control of the village of Krupets in the Kursk border region, where Ukrainian troops have been advancing in a large-scale incursion into Russian territory since August 6. Russian forces “have regained control of the town of Krupets,” the army said in a statement, adding that Moscow’s forces “continue to stop” Ukrainian attacks in the region. This is the first time since August 6 that the Russian army has announced that it has recaptured a town from Ukrainian control. In addition, Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov announced at a meeting on the security of border regions that Russia will send additional forces to the Belgorod region on the border with Ukraine, close to Kursk. The Moscow General Staff has developed an action plan to protect the Belgorod region, Belousov added at a meeting on the security of the population and infrastructure in the border areas of the Kursk, Bryansk and Belgorod regions. “We are talking, first of all, about increasing the efficiency of the command and control system of the troops in interaction with other law enforcement agencies and the administration of the Belgorod region,” the Russian defense chief noted, according to Tass.