The Ukrainian military has launched a large-scale offensive in Kursk Oblast of Russia, with Russian artillery struggling to respond and drones being neutralized by Ukrainian electronic warfare systems, the Russian project VChK-OGPU reports, citing informed sources in military circles.

Ukraine’s forces started their incursion into Russia’s Kursk Oblast last August. Within the first few weeks, they took control of approximately 1,300 square kilometers of Russian territory. By now, the Russians have retaken more than half of the territory Ukraine controlled.

Currently, Ukrainian forces are attacking on several fronts in Kursk Oblast, catching Russian forces by surprise. The offensive was confirmed by Andrii Yermak, Head of the Ukrainian President’s Office, and later acknowledged by the Russian Ministry of Defense, which reported the beginning of the Ukrainian assault.

“There is significant concern among the Russians in Kursk Oblast, as they were attacked from multiple directions, which was unexpected for them. The Defense Forces are engaged,” reported the head of Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council, Andrii Kovalenko

According to VChK-OGPU sources, as of 1:00 PM on 5 January, an attack with armored vehicles was underway from the Sudzha district towards Berdyn and Velike Soldatske settlements. 

In response to the Ukrainian advance, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov urgently arrived in Kursk Oblast.

“Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups have been spotted in the Berdyn settlement and surrounding areas. The Ukrainian soldiers are advancing in tightly packed formations, and Russian artillery is unable to cope.

During the offensive, all radio frequencies and even the Internet were jammed. As a result, unmanned aerial vehicle operators are powerless—launching drones into the air is futile until Ukraine’s electronic warfare systems are neutralized,” the report said.

Ukrainian publication Liga says that Russian military bloggers claim Ukrainian forces have concentrated “significant equipment and manpower” in the area. According to their reports, Ukrainian forces are attacking in the direction of Berdin-Bolshoe Soldatskoe, northeast of Ukraine-controlled Sudzha. This location is approximately 70 kilometers from the regional center, Kursk city.

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