(Image source from: x.com/ZelenskyyUa)

Ukrainian ground forces and mechanized units have crossed the international border, advancing over 30 kilometres into Russian territory. This represents one of the most significant developments in the ongoing conflict between the two nations. The Ukrainian troops, estimated to be over 1,000, have moved from the Sumy Oblast region in northeast Ukraine and have now taken control of the Kursk Oblast in Russia. This unexpected incursion has caught Russia off-guard, prompting a frantic scramble to deploy troops and halt the Ukrainian advance. Kyiv has conducted intensive artillery bombardments and drone attacks, accompanied by the movement of mechanized forces into enemy territory. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a non-profit organization, has geolocated the positions of Ukrainian troops through open-source videos and images of the operation, and has mapped the areas where Ukrainian forces have made progress. The blue-shaded regions indicate the areas where Ukrainians have managed to establish a presence. In response, Russia has rushed to mobilize its own troops to stop the further encroachment of Ukrainian forces. The objective of this Ukrainian operation remains unclear, but it appears to be the biggest challenge that Putin's Russia has faced since the start of the war in February 2022. Kyiv has maintained a relative silence on the offensive, while Russia has declared a "federal emergency" and is frantically deploying troops to defend the affected region.

According to the information accessed by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Ukrainian troops swiftly advanced nearly 35 kilometers into Russia, though they do not appear to have established full control over that area. Russian forces, including conscripts, border guards, and Chechen "Akhmat" units, are operating in the Kursk region and have constructed defensive positions along the border. These fortifications were breached by the Ukrainian troops, who are now located in the settlements of Sverdlik Ovo, Sudhza, Malaya, and Lyubimovka. Russian President Vladimir Putin has described this incursion as a "large-scale provocation" by Ukraine, and the Russian military's top general has vowed to crush the operation. However, a Chechen Akhmat unit official, General Apti Alaudinov, a close ally of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, has stated that the situation is not irreversible, acknowledging that Russian personnel have been killed, but asserting that the enemy has entered several settlements. Meanwhile, Russian military bloggers claim that the Ukrainian troops are advancing in small units, bypassing Russian fortifications, engaging Russian forces, and then withdrawing without attempting to consolidate control over their furthest advances.

The new battleground in Russia differs greatly from the other regions that have witnessed intense combat since the start of the war. Fierce clashes have occurred in eastern Ukraine, with a substantial portion now reportedly under Russian command. Prior to the war's outbreak two years ago, the eastern cities of Donetsk, Luhansk, and Horlivka were already under Russian influence. From these regions, Russian troops move further west, controlling the front from the northeast to the south of Ukraine. According to ISW's map, the red line represents Russia's offensive in Ukraine, and the black dashed line represents Russia's control of Ukrainian territory before the war. Ukrainian drones attacked residential buildings in the border areas of Kursk, Voronezh and Belgorod regions. Since the outbreak of the conflict in February 2022, the armed forces of Ukraine have repeatedly invaded Russia for a short time. Russian military experts accuse officials of not noticing the hacks at all. The offensive in Ukraine is on its third day. Russia initially used air power and artillery to repel the attacks, but was unable to stop the advance.

The Russian Defense Ministry said it was sending convoys of military equipment, including rocket launchers, artillery, tanks and heavy trucks, to bolster its defenses in the area. Russia fired artillery at a supermarket in Konstantinovka, eastern Ukraine. Russia's reaction to Ukraine's actions is offensive. As a result of the shelling, ten people died and 35 were injured. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed revenge for the attack. "Russia will be responsible for this terrorism, and we will do everything to ensure that the world continues to support Ukraine in supporting our security and the lives of our people," Zelenskyy said at the X.