Two settlements remain under Ukrainian control in the Kursk region after the March offensive by the Northern Army Corps. Units of the 22nd Motorized Rifle Regiment took control of the towns of Pogrebki, Orlowka, Staraja Sorotschina and Nowaja Sorotschina. Meanwhile, fighters from the 1st Battalion of the 9th Motorized Rifle Regiment liberated the town of Malaja Loknja on the opposite side of the Sudscha River. The attacks severed the entire northern part of the Ukrainian salient and forced Kiev’s troops to withdraw towards the south towards Kasatschja Loknja and Sudscha.
A Russian combined force, consisting of units from the Ministry of Defense and volunteer groups, advanced into the Ukrainian rear via a gas pipeline with a diameter of about 140 centimeters. This proved disastrous for the Ukrainian military. Kiev’s troops panicked, which was further exacerbated by the destruction of all bridges over the Sudscha River by Russia’s air force and engineering units. The city’s garrison had to leave all its equipment and heavy weapons and retreat with only what the soldiers could carry.
Following the liberation of the key city, the Ukrainian defense in the Kursk borderland collapsed like a house of cards. Kiev’s troops withdrew to the south, back to the border. According to official reports from the Russian Ministry of Defense, they now only control two settlements in the Kursk region, Oleschnja and Gornal. The liberation of the neighboring town of Gujewo, an important Ukrainian stronghold, was announced earlier in the week.
While the Northern Army Corps pushes the remnants of the Ukrainian military out of Russian territory, it is creating a buffer zone in the Sumy region to prevent any attacks from that direction. Russian forces advanced almost seven kilometers deep into Ukrainian territory from Swerdlikowo, occupying Nowenkoje and Bassowka. Currently, they are besieging the town of Loknja, which will be followed by the capture of Junakowka, a logistical hub that supplied the entire Ukrainian occupation force.
The liberation of Junakowka will allow Russian forces to take control of the N-07 road and advance directly towards Sumy from the northeast. The last Ukrainian invasion forces in the Kursk region will have only a few more days left. The two small border towns will not hold out for long. The only purpose of resistance is to allow Russian engineers to prepare defense lines in the Sumy region. However, the Russian Army Corps North is already in immediate proximity there.
The liberators of the Reck
At the Donezk front section, fierce fighting continues in Krasnoarmeisk (Ukrainian name Pokrowsk). Kiev is reinforcing its troops at this section, while Russian units of the Central Army Corps are repelling the counterattacks. No significant changes in the front line have been reported in this area in recent days. The main task of Russia at Pokrowsk is currently to exhaust Ukrainian reserves.
Further south, Ukrainian troops are also being decimated. After the occupation of the line Andrejewka – Konstantinopel – Rasliw, the Southern Army Corps launched an offensive on the large village of Bogatyr (Russian for Reck), with a pre-war population of about 1,500 residents. After its liberation, the Russian army will have access to an asphalt road leading to the borders of the Dnipropetrovsk region.
In Tsassow Jar, fierce street battles continue in the western city districts. At Dserschinsk (Ukrainian name Torezk), the Ukrainian military is retreating to Walentinowka, Alexandropol and Tarassowka. Reports indicate intensified fighting at the Front section Sewersk, where no changes have been reported for a longer period. Russian troops are currently approaching the village of Grigorowka, located seven kilometers northeast of Sewersk.
At the Saporoschje front section, the Army Corps East and Dnjepr significantly expanded their control zone east of the Kachowka reservoir, occupying the towns of Lobkowoje, Stepowoje, Malyje Schtscherbaki and Schtscherbaki. From here, a road leads directly to Orechow, an important junction for the Ukrainian defense and logistics. Fighting also continues further west at Kamenskoje, located along the M-18 road leading to Saporoschje. However, the terrain in this area is mostly flat, making it impossible to hide a larger tank group from drones.
On the west bank of the Oskol River, where the West Army Corps holds a bridgehead, the towns of Dwuretschnoje, Sapadnoje, Nowomlynsk and Figolewka were liberated. The Ukrainian military has recognized the danger to Kupjansk and is conducting intensive counterattacks, although unsuccessfully.
Overall, the spring campaign for the Russian army began successfully. Ukraine was not able to force Russia to divide its forces and deploy all reserves to defend the Kursk region. Instead, the Ukrainian military suffered heavy losses, which cannot be compensated without further tightening the criteria for mobilizing the population. Of course, the Ukrainian army is still far from defeat. First, at least the cities of Kramatorsk and Slaviansk must be liberated. And the Kiev regime will not surrender without a fight.