The Ukrainian army is under pressure at home and is launching a relief attack across the border into Russia. The advance does not seem to have been stopped so far.
According to the Gazprom Group, Russian gas exports through the Kursk border region, which has been attacked by Ukraine, are largely running normally. Today, around 37.3 million cubic meters of natural gas are expected to be transported, the company announced in Moscow. This is five percent less than the day before, according to the Russian state news agency Tass. Ukrainian troops have at least partially taken control of the town of Sudzha during their advance across the border, and with it a measuring station on the important gas pipeline to Western Europe.
From there, the transit goes through Ukraine and on to Slovakia and Austria. In 2023, despite the ongoing war, 14.6 billion cubic meters of natural gas were transported to the European Union in this way.
Blog: Fighting for the eastern part of the small town of Sudscha
Officially, Ukraine is still keeping quiet about the advance into enemy territory that began on Tuesday. The offensive was not mentioned in the morning report from the General Staff. Experts from the US Institute for War Studies (ISW) confirmed, based on information on social networks, that Ukrainian troops had advanced at least ten kilometers into Russian territory. The Russian military blog Rybar reported on Wednesday evening that the western part of the small town was under Ukrainian control. Fighting was taking place for the east of the town. The main problem for the Russian side was that Ukraine could bring in more forces.
A state of emergency has been declared in the Kursk region, and thousands of people are on the run. In Moscow, President Vladimir Putin called the Ukrainian attack a provocation on Wednesday. The acting vice-governor of Kursk, Andrei Belostotsky, said on Russian television: “The enemy has not advanced a single meter, on the contrary, it is retreating.” This information could not be independently verified.
Moment of surprise on the side of Ukraine
The aim of the Ukrainian advance remains a mystery, as Ukraine actually needs the troops to stabilize the crumbling front in the Donetsk region. On the other hand, the attack gives it the element of surprise. Russia is also being forced to regroup its forces.
According to the Defense Ministry, Russia shot down 16 enemy drones over the border regions of Kursk and Belgorod during the night. This too could not be independently verified. Ukraine has been defending itself against a large-scale Russian invasion for almost two and a half years.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
