Sputnik reported that on August 7, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated during a meeting with Russian government members that Ukraine had carried out another large-scale provocation, firing a wide range of weapons, including missiles, at civilian buildings, residential areas, and ambulances.
The President stated that he is regularly informed by the Ministry of Defense and other relevant government agencies about the situation. He also contacted Kursk Governor Aleksey Smirnov and pledged additional support to the Kursk regional government to help resolve the emergency situation.
Russian Joint Chiefs of Staff Valery Gerasimov stated that at 5:30 a.m. on August 6 local time, Ukrainian forces launched a large-scale attack on the Russian province of Kursk, breaching the border at multiple locations. The attack focused on the town of Sudzha, approximately 9 km from the border.
The town of Sudzha has been repeatedly subjected to artillery and drone attacks.
According to Russian military estimates, up to 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers participated in the attack. The soldiers broke through with dozens of heavy equipment, including various types of tanks, Stryker armored personnel carriers produced by the United States, and other armored vehicles and equipment.
The fighting lasted throughout the night and continued until August 7. The Russian military launched artillery, air, and ballistic missile attacks on Ukrainian forces, resulting in over 300 Ukrainian casualties and 54 destroyed armored vehicles, including at least 6 tanks.
"The enemy suffered heavy losses due to artillery fire and the combined use of UAVs to attack. The Ukrainian special forces suffered losses and retreated to their territory, with some fighters attempting to stay near the national border but were blocked by Russian military units," the Russian Defense Ministry reported.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova accused Ukraine of using the attack as a pretext to prolong the "mass mobilization." She noted that on August 7, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a bill to extend mobilization for another three months.
Deputy UN Secretary-General Farhan Haq stated that the Ukrainian attack on Kursk increased the risk of escalation. "All these incidents increase the risk of a crisis escalating alarmingly, and we want the situation to de-escalate as much as possible," Haq said at a press conference with journalists.
On August 7, White House spokesperson John Kirby stated that Washington plans to request Kiev to clarify the Ukrainian attack on Kursk. He also stated that Washington's stance on Ukraine's use of US-made weapons on Russian territory after the attack in Kursk has not changed.
In the meantime, Adalbi Shkhagoshev, a member of the Russian State Duma's Security Committee, told Sputnik that the attack on Kursk was planned by the Ukrainian Armed Forces and British intelligence.
"The retaliatory strike will be very painful for them both militarily and politically," Shkhagoshev said, noting that "hawks" in many countries do not want peace and are trying to fan the flames of confrontation.
"After the unconditional repulsion of the attack on Kursk, the Russian military's advance will accelerate. We know they have invested too much in this campaign," Shkhagoshev added.
