The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) launched a new wave of battalion-sized mechanized assaults in Kursk Oblast on Feb. 6, pushing up to 5 kilometers (3 miles) behind Russian lines southeast of Sudzha, according to a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) Thursday.
Geolocated footage published on the same day shows that Ukrainian troops advanced southwest of Makhnovka (southeast of Sudzha) and north and east of Cherkasskaya Konopelka, seizing the settlements of Kolmakov and Fanaseyevka along the 38K-028 Sudzha-Oboyan highway.
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Russian milbloggers estimated that Ukrainian forces attacked with 30 to 50 armored vehicles. One group reportedly advanced from Makhnovka toward Cherkasskaya Konopelka, Fanaseyevka, and Ulanok, while another attempted an assault from Dmitriukov toward Russkaya Konopelka – the latter attack was reportedly repelled.
There is disagreement among Russian sources over Ukrainian gains. A Kremlin-affiliated milblogger claimed that Ukraine had seized Cherkasskaya Konopelka, but others denied this. Some reports suggested Ukrainian forces broke through to or even seized Ulanok, though this claim is also disputed. ISW has not yet verified geolocated evidence of Ukrainian forces operating in Ulanok.
Ukraine Compensates Manpower Shortages With Drones
The Russian Telegram channel “Zapiski Veterana” [Veteran’s Notes] reported after 9 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 6 that Ukrainian troops had engaged in intense battles for the settlements of Cherkasskaya Konopelka and Fanaseyevka.
According to the channel, fierce fighting was ongoing in the area, with Ukrainian forces launching six attacks in this sector on Thursday. Later, “Zapiski Veterana” warned that the situation on the Kursk front could deteriorate significantly by Friday morning, alleging that the AFU were moving significant reinforcements toward Sudzha.
In a subsequent update, the channel claimed that Ukrainian troops had encircled Cherkasskaya Konopelka.
On Thursday evening, Stanislav Bunyatov, a junior sergeant in the 24th Aidar Assault Battalion, wrote on Telegram: “We are really making progress in Kursk Oblast.”
Bunyatov emphasized the strategic importance of these assaults, stating: “If we withdraw, the enemy is seriously intent on entering the Sumy region.”
He acknowledged that Russian drones pose a significant challenge, though saying it was expected. Meanwhile, Russian sources reported that poor weather conditions on Feb. 6 had hindered their drone operations.
By Friday, several Russian Telegram channels reported that the commander of the 11th Airborne Brigade had been removed from his post. The alleged reason was his failure to react in time to both the pontoon deployment and the sudden Ukrainian advance toward Ulanok the previous day. However, there are no official confirmations of his dismissal.
In its Friday morning report, posted after 11 a.m., the Zapiski Veterana channel claimed that Ukrainian troops had been spotted on the dam in Cherkasskaya Konopelka. According to the post, Ukrainian military sources allegedly marked this settlement as under AFU control.
“There is information that Fanaseyevka has also been occupied by the enemy,” the report added.
Meanwhile, the “War Correspondents of the Russian Spring” Telegram channel published a summary, stating that after the Thursday offensive on Ulanok, Ukrainian forces had suffered heavy losses in armored vehicles but had still managed to land a significant force.
According to their report, between half a battalion and a full battalion of Ukrainian infantry remains engaged in the forests and the areas around Fanaseyevka and Cherkasskaya Konopelka.
“Reports from the field indicate that fighting has continued since last night and into the morning in the areas around Cherkasskaya Konopelka and Fanaseyevka, where the Ukrainian Armed Forces have managed to secure several positions,” the channel wrote.
The Telegram post further suggested that the Ukrainian command might deploy additional reinforcements to support its units.
In its Feb. 7 briefing on the situation in Kursk Oblast, the Ukrainian General Staff reported at 8:44 a.m.:
“In the operational zone in Kursk Oblast, units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine have repelled five Russian attacks over the past 24 hours.”
According to the summary, Russian forces launched 47 airstrikes, deploying 76 guided bombs, and conducted 612 artillery attacks on Ukrainian positions and settlements in the region, including 11 strikes from multiple launch rocket systems.
Despite this being the second day of Ukraine’s new offensive in Kursk, the General Staff has not explicitly confirmed the operation. Instead, its report only mentions the repelling of Russian attacks.
In its midday report, the Russian Defense Ministry stated that “the Russian Armed Forces continue to defeat AFU formations in Kursk Oblast.”
According to the report, units from the “North” group of troops thwarted a Ukrainian counteroffensive near Cherkasskaya Konopelka and Ulanok.
“All enemy attacks have been repelled,” the ministry claimed.
However, according to an ISW report, some Russian milbloggers voiced concerns that continued Ukrainian advances in Kursk Oblast could threaten Russian supply lines and rear positions south of Sudzha, particularly around Guyevo, where Russian forces are currently engaged.
Putin acknowledges strain on Russian troops in Kursk Oblast
On Feb. 5, Russian leader Vladimir Putin praised elite Airborne Forces (VDV) and naval infantry units defending in Kursk Oblast, highlighting that the Ukrainian incursion has tied up a full combined-arms army’s worth of Russian troops in the region for over six months.
During a meeting with acting Kursk Oblast Governor Alexander Khinshtein, Putin listed key Russian formations still engaged in Kursk:
- 155th Naval Infantry Brigade (Pacific Fleet)
- 810th Naval Infantry Brigade
- 106th VDV Division
- 76th VDV Division
He promised future rewards for these forces. However, ISW outlines that this prolonged deployment has prevented Russia from redeploying these elite units to high-priority fronts, such as the Donetsk region.
According to ISW, Russia has amassed around 78,000 troops in Kursk Oblast, including 11,000 North Korean personnel and elements of nearly all elite Russian Airborne Forces and naval infantry units, to expel Ukrainian forces from the region.
Despite this, Putin has yet to prioritize fully reclaiming Kursk Oblast, instead focusing on slow advances in Donetsk. ISW suggests that this delayed response is fueling domestic discontent as Ukrainian forces continue to hold ground in Russian border areas.
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