Russia announced that it had blocked Ukraine’s counterattacks in Kursk and caused Kiev to suffer great damage.
The Russian Defense Ministry announced on September 21 that Ukrainian forces had lost more than 300 troops and nine armored vehicles in the Kursk region in the past 24 hours.
“Over the past 24 hours, Ukrainian losses amounted to more than 300 troops and 9 armored vehicles, including 1 infantry fighting vehicle, 2 armored personnel carriers, 6 armored fighting vehicles, as well as 6 artillery pieces, 1 US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system and 1 rocket launcher, an electronic warfare system, a mine clearance vehicle, an armored rescue vehicle and 7 motor vehicles,” the statement said.
Russia said that since August 6, when Ukraine attacked Kursk, Ukraine has lost 15,650 troops, 124 tanks, 57 infantry fighting vehicles, 95 armored personnel carriers, 786 armored fighting vehicles, 124 artillery pieces, 29 multiple rocket launchers, including 8 HIMARS systems and 6 other rocket artillery systems made in the US.
In addition, Russia said it destroyed Ukraine’s 8 anti-aircraft missile launchers, 5 transport-loading vehicles, 30 electronic warfare radars, 7 counter-battery radars, 2 air defense radars, 16 engineering equipment, and 1 UR-77 mine clearance vehicle.
On the other hand, Russia announced that it had blocked Ukraine’s plan to launch a two-pronged counterattack on Kamyshevka and Lyubimovka in Kursk.
Russia also said it had blocked two new Ukrainian cross-border attacks on Kursk at Novy Put and Medvezhye.
“Supported by air power and artillery fire, Russia repelled three attempts by Ukraine to break through the border in the direction of Novy Put and Medvezhye. The enemy suffered about 20 casualties, lost 1 infantry fighting vehicle, 1 armored personnel carrier, 2 armored fighting vehicles, 2 mine clearance vehicles, 1 armored rescue vehicle and 2 motor vehicles,” the statement said.
Earlier, the Kremlin announced that the Russian army would complete its mission to regain control of all areas in Kursk province after Ukraine launched a cross-border raid.
Ukraine launched a cross-border offensive into Russia’s Kursk region on August 6. Kiev claims to have taken control of about 100 settlements and more than 1,300 square kilometers of Russian territory after more than a month of fighting. In an effort to dislodge Ukrainian troops from positions on Russian territory, Moscow launched a counteroffensive last week.
According to analysts, Ukraine may only maintain partial control of Kursk territory for a few more months before being pushed back or having to withdraw from this front to focus on the Donbass defense line in the East and reduce human losses.
