RUSSIA AND UKRAINE ARE READY FOR LONG BORDER BATTLES

The Russian region of Kursk remains the main battlefield of Kyiv’s offensive attempts. Over the past days, NATO-backed Ukrainian forces have received large reinforcements and continued to intensify efforts to expand their zone of control on the Russian territory. However, the bloodshed has brought no results. The Kyiv regime likely considers its desperate attack on Kursk region as a chance to draw attention of its sponsors from the defeats in the Donbass and gain the role of the side that keeps initiative in this conflict in the MSM. The Ukrainian leadership does not really care about the growing cost of this adventure. According to the estimations by the Russian Ministry of Defense, in total, during the fighting in the Kursk direction, the Armed Forces of Ukraine lost more than 4,500 servicemen killed and wounded, and dozens of tanks and hundreds of armored vehicles, most of which were supplied by NATO countries. According to preliminary reports, on August 22, the first US-made Abrams tank was struck in the Kursk region. Taking into account the growing Ukrainian losses and absence of any strategic results, various military experts suggest that the Russian military intentionally welcomed enemy forces in its border areas. The both sides are ready for prolonged battles in the Kursk region. Kyiv is sending large reserves to hold control of the captured Russian territory for at least several months, to show some victories before the presidential elections in the US. On the other hand, the Russian military gained yet another chance to grind Ukrainian strategic reserves now accumulated on a small area. The Armed Forces of Ukraine are trying their best to expand the bridgehead and prolong the military operations on the Russian territory. Ukrainian forces are destroying bridges across the Seim river trying to cut the Russian grouping in the Glushkovsky district in the Kursk region. After three bridges were destroyed, Ukrainian forces are launching strikes with HIMARS MLRS on the pontoon crossings built by the Russian military. As a result, the military supplies to the area and evacuation of remaining civilians is only possible by small boats. The Ukrainian military applies the same tactics used in 2022 during the battles in the Kherson region, when they destroyed crossings on the Dnieper River, forcing the Russian military to leave the western bank. At the same time, the Ukrainian military does not leave attempts to launch offensive in new directions on the Russian territory. On the evening of August 21, Ukrainian motorized assault groups attempted to break through Russian border in the Klimov district in the Bryansk region. The attack was repelled by Russian border guards. The armed Forces of Ukraine do not stop reconnaissance in force along the Russian border, probing Russian defense in different areas.