Moscow [Russia], August 8: TASS news agency reported that on August 7, Russian President Vladimir Putin chaired a meeting with the heads of security agencies, the Ministry of Defense , the General Staff and the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) on developments in the Kursk region .
Russia says Ukraine deploys 1,000 troops in Kursk
The meeting was attended in person by Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu and FSB Director Alexander Bortnikov, while Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov met online.
General Gerasimov reported to President Putin that Ukraine had deployed up to 1,000 armed forces in a cross-border attack in the Kursk region since August 6. However, Russian border guards stopped the attack and continued to destroy the enemy.
Earlier, Moscow said that the Ukrainian army's 22nd Mechanized Brigade led the attack around and in the Kursk town of Sudzha. About 60 kilometers northeast of the town is Russia's Kursk nuclear power plant.
"Air strikes, missiles, artillery and units of the Russian border guards operating in the Kursk region prevented the enemy from advancing deeper into the territory of the Russian Federation," AFP quoted the Russian Defense Ministry as saying.
According to statistics, Russian forces destroyed 50 armored vehicles, including 7 tanks, 8 armored personnel carriers, 3 infantry fighting vehicles and 31 armored combat vehicles in the area.
On the same day, Ukraine announced the evacuation of thousands of civilians in the border area adjacent to the Kursk region, where its forces have been attacking since August 6.
"I have just signed an order for mandatory evacuation in 23 areas of five communities of Sumy district," AFP quoted Sumy Governor Volodymyr Artyukh as saying, adding that about 6,000 people were subject to evacuation, including 425 children.
TASS quoted Russian Security Council Chairman Sergei Shoigu as estimating that since June 14, Russian forces have controlled an additional 420 square kilometers of territory in Ukraine.
Regarding the situation in Ukraine, Director of the Ukrainian Military Intelligence Agency Kyrylo Budanov predicted that Russia's offensive campaign will end in 1.5 or 2 months, according to Forbes Ukraine on August 7.
In May, Russia launched a new offensive in northern Kharkiv province, which many experts believe was intended to distract and stretch Ukrainian forces.
Meanwhile, Russia continues to control more villages in Donetsk province and push towards the towns of Chasiv Yar and Pokrovsk, which are believed to be the main targets of the Moscow government army during this time.
General Budanov assessed that any offensive campaign, regardless of which side it is launched on, would hardly last more than two months. The Russian campaign is approaching three months, and therefore will soon enter a phase of retreat.
However, the director of Ukraine's military intelligence agency also predicted that after the hiatus, Russia will seek to attack again, and Ukraine is prepared for that scenario.
In May, General Budanov predicted that Russia would attack Sumy province after ending the operation near Kharkiv. Russia has not commented on this information.
Can Ukrainian FPV Drones Attack Russian Helicopters?
Kyiv Independent reported on August 7 that Ukraine used an FPV drone (a type of drone with a camera that broadcasts live images to users) to shoot down a Russian Mi-28 attack helicopter in Kursk on August 6.
According to the source, the FPV drone operated by the Special Operations Center "A" of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) crashed into the tail rotor of the Russian helicopter.
Images of the FPV drone crashing into the helicopter went viral on social media before the full video was posted by Ukrainian Serhii Sternenko.
Russian military blogger Alexei Zemtsov, citing a well-informed source, revealed that a Russian helicopter was hit by an attack and forced to land. However, the crew was safe and the helicopter was taken for repairs.
If it does happen, it would be the first time an FPV drone has successfully brought down a helicopter in mid-air. Russia has not commented on the report.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
