Ukrainian forces attempted to attack Russia’s Belgorod Region simultaneously with their incursion into Kursk Region, but were met with stern resistance and suffered heavy losses, the Washington Post has reported.
There is “fierce fighting underway” on the border in Belgorod Region, the newspaper claimed on Thursday, citing wounded Ukrainian troops who have been evacuated to Sumy Region in their home country.
The alleged Ukrainian attack on Belgorod Region started “four days ago” and involved a “fleet of armored vehicles [moving] in broad daylight,” one soldier was quoted as saying, describing the operation as “crazy.”
The Ukrainians reportedly tried to enter Russian territory near the Kolotilovka–Pokrovka border crossing. However, unlike in Kursk Region, where Kiev’s troops have made some gains, Russian forces in neighboring Belgorod were well-prepared to repel the incursion, the soldier claimed.
According to the Ukrainian serviceman, the area was fortified with dragon’s teeth anti-tank obstacles and was heavily mined. As soon as they approached the border, Kiev’s troops came under intense attack by Russian artillery, drones, and aerial bombs, he said.
“All our group was injured the day we arrived,” the soldier stated. Many Ukrainian fighters suffered heavy wounds, while others were killed and had to be left behind, he added.
Russia’s Defense Ministry has so far only reported on its actions and Ukrainian losses in Kursk Region, and has not confirmed any fighting in Belgorod Region.
A federal emergency was declared in Belgorod Region on Thursday, with Russian Emergencies Minister Aleksandr Kurenkov saying that “as a result of terrorist attacks by the Ukrainian armed units... residential buildings and infrastructure facilities have been damaged, there are killed and wounded among the civilians.”
Last week, a counterterrorist operation was announced in Kursk, Belgorod, and Bryansk regions, which all border Ukraine.
Kiev’s troops launched their incursion into Kursk on August 6, in what is their largest attack on Russian territory since the outbreak of the conflict in February 2022. Their advance has reportedly been halted by the Russian military, although Ukrainian forces remain in control of several settlements in Kursk Region.
The Defense Ministry in Moscow said on Friday that since the start of the incursion, Ukraine has lost up to 2,860 servicemen and several hundred units of military hardware, including 41 tanks, 40 APCs, and three US-supplied HIMARS multiple rocket launchers.