Russia withdraws part of its troops from Ukraine due to the invasion of the Kursk region

Ukraine's offensive forces Russia to change its strategy, which is why the Russian army began withdrawing part of its troops from the territory of Ukraine in response to the unexpected invasion of Ukrainian forces into the Kursk region.

This was reported by The Wall Street Journal with reference to sources among US officials.

According to the publication, American officials report that Ukraine has successfully captured 74 populated areas of the Russian Federation. Ukrainian troops are also strengthening their positions, while Russia is trying to regroup its forces to repel the offensive.

Officials said the U.S. was still trying to determine the significance of the Russian move, and did not say how many troops the U.S. estimated Russia would commit.

However, the US assessment backs up the statements of Ukrainian officials, who claim that last week's surprise operation in the Kursk region drew Russian troops away from Ukraine.

What is happening in the Kursk region

The Russian side claims that on August 6, the Ukrainian military allegedly tried to break through the border and gain a foothold in the Suzhanskyi and Korenievsky districts of the Kursk region.

According to information from the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, approximately 300 Ukrainian soldiers on 11 tanks and 20 armored vehicles allegedly attempted to break through.

According to local media reports, six Russian servicemen were captured by the Armed Forces, and the Russian Telegram channel «VChK-OGPU» claims that the Chechen special forces «Akhmat» stationed on the border have left their positions, and 15 soldiers were injured.

Russian soldiers report that Ukrainian forces have already occupied several settlements in the Kursk region, and the city of Sudzha has actually been evacuated.

At the same time, the UN Secretary General does not have any information about the events in the Kursk region of the Russian Federation: «We do not have representatives in this area.»

On Monday, August 12, Kursk Oblast Governor Oleksii Smirnov reported to Vladimir Putin that 28 settlements in the region «are under the control of the enemy».