August 2024 Kursk Oblast incursion

August 2024 Kursk Oblast incursion
Part of attacks in Russia during the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Date 6 August 2024 – present (1 day) Location Kursk Oblast, Russia Result Inconclusive
Belligerents
Ukraine	Russia
Units involved
22nd Mechanized Brigade (per Russia)	Russian Armed Forces Russian Ground Forces 448th Rocket Brigade Federal Security Service
Strength
Russian claim: 300 soldiers 11 tanks more than 20 AFVs.	Unknown
Casualties and losses
Per Russia: 6 tanks 2 IFVs 4 APCs 3 Kozak armored combat vehicles 6 other armored vehicles 26 UAVs	Ukrainian claim: 1 Ka-52 helicopter
Russian Claim: 3 civilians killed

On 6 August 2024, Ukrainian forces launched an incursion into Russia's Kursk Oblast around 08:00 Moscow Standard Time (UTC+3). The units crossed from the territory of Ukraine, and attacked stationed units and border guards in the villages of Nikolayevo-Daryino and Oleshnya.

Background

This paragraph is an excerpt from Attacks in Russia during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[edit]

There have been attacks in mainland Russia as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which began on 24 February 2022. The main targets have been the military, the arms industry and the oil industry. Many of the attacks have been drone strikes, firebombing, and rail sabotage. The Ukrainian intelligence services have acknowledged carrying out some of these attacks. Others have been carried out by anti-war activists in Russia. There has also been cross-border shelling, missile strikes and ground raids from Ukraine, mainly in the Belgorod, Kursk and Bryansk oblasts. Several times, Ukrainian-backed armed groups have launched incursions from Ukraine into Russia, captured border villages and battled the Russian military. While Ukraine has supported these ground incursions, it has denied direct involvement.

Raid

August 6

On August 6, 2024, Russia reported deploying air and artillery forces to counter a Ukrainian border incursion in the Kursk region. Ukrainian fighters, equipped with tanks and armored vehicles, allegedly crossed into Russian territory. The Russian Ministry of Defense responded by sending troops and aviation units to the area. According to Russia, the incursion involved around 300 Ukrainian troops, 11 tanks, and over 20 armored combat vehicles.

The attack began at 08:00 Moscow time and, by 18:20, Russian forces claimed to have pushed the Ukrainians back across the border, supposedly inflicting significant losses through artillery, air strikes, and drones — although the claim of the incursion being completely stopped has not been verified. Moscow released videos purportedly showing Ukrainian tanks being targeted from the air. Social media footage suggested Russian warplanes operated at low altitudes over the Kursk region to repel the attack. The governor of the Kursk region reported that three people died during the events: a woman in the border incursion and two individuals in separate drone attacks.

Reactions

Russia

The Russian Ministry of Defence claimed that the attack had been repelled. The ministry stated, "After suffering losses, the Ukrainian sabotage group retreated to its territory, while some of the fighters attempted to establish a position on the territory adjacent to the state border, where they were blocked by Russian army units.".

Ukraine

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence, General Staff and Main Intelligence Directorate have not yet commented on the raid.

The head of Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation, Andriy Kovalenko, refuted Russian claims that the situation at the border is under control, stating, "Russia does not control the border."

Casualties

Russia claimed that six Ukrainian tanks and ten armored vehicles were lost in the engagement. Acting governor of the Kursk region, Alexei Smirnov, claimed that 26 Ukrainian UAVs were shot down in the area.

See also

• 2023 Bryansk Oblast raid
• 2023 Belgorod Oblast incursions
• 2024 western Russia incursion