Russia claims to have recaptured 10 settlements in Kursk, in a move that suggests a A counterattack is in the works, according to multiple reports.
Major General Apty Alaudinov, the commander of the Akhmat special forces unit that fought in Kursk, said Russian forces had repulsed four Ukrainian attacks and destroyed groups of soldiers and equipment in more than a dozen locations in the region. Russian state-controlled news outlet TASS reported on Wednesday.
Alaudinov added that Ukrainian forces, suffering heavy losses, were beginning to realize that the move to Kursk would not be easy, the newspaper reported.
Influential pro-Russian military bloggers Two Majors and Rybar also said a major the counterattack was underway, reported Reuters.
Business Insider was unable to independently verify the claims, which Ukraine has not commented on.
of Ukraine surprise attack in the western Russian region is now in its fifth week, with Ukraine claiming to have seized 500 square miles of territory.
But independent analysts at the Institute for the Study of War evaluated that, as of Wednesday, Russian forces had retaken positions east of Zhuravli settlement and had advanced to positions north and northeast of Snagost village, on the western edge of the salient.
They were unable to confirm numerous other claims by pro-Russian military bloggers and that Russia had provided Snagost itself.
“The size, scale and possible prospects of Russian counterattacks of 9/11 in the Kursk region are unclear and the situation remains fluid,” they wrote.
Russia is also deploying some of its strongest units from the battle, they said – a contrast to that new recruits Ukrainian forces were reportedly met when they first broke through.
The ISW said Russian forces may plan to temporarily try to sever the Ukrainian-held area of Kursk before a bigger push.
“Russian forces may aim to cut off the Ukrainian salient and advance to the international border southeast of Snagost,” he said, in order to “complicate existing Ukrainian logistics routes and target support positions closer to the international border before begin a larger-scale counteroffensive operation.”