On 15 August 2024, Ukrainian military commander Oleksandr Syrskyi announced the establishment of a military administration in occupied parts of Kursk Oblast to be headed by major general Eduard Moskaliov, who would hold the title of military commandant.[1][2] He said that 82 settlements in the oblast were under Ukrainian control.[3] Ukraine said it was "not interested" in permanently annexing Russian territory.[4] On 19 August, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukrainian forces were in control over 92 settlements in Kursk Oblast and 1,250 square kilometers of Russian territory.[5] On 3 September, Zelenskyy said in an interview that Ukraine is planning to "indefinitely" hold Kursk Oblast's seized territories, in an attempt to force Putin to the negotiating table.[6] By November 2024, Ukraine had lost control of more than 40% of the territory it initially occupied in the region.[7]
Activities
Ukraine has stated that the purpose of the military administration is to provide humanitarian aid to civilians, maintain public service and to keep law and order in territories controlled by the Ukrainian armed forces.[8][3][9] Ukrainian authorities plan to allow international humanitarian organizations to access the areas of Kursk Oblast that they control.[10]
Ukraine’s national postal service, Ukrposhta, is considering opening a branch in Sudzha if the safety of its staff can be guaranteed.[11][12]
On 16 August, journalists from Italy's RAI network and Ukraine's Hromadske network visited the Sudzha area and interviewed local residents.[13][14][15] The following day, the Ukrainian military allowed CNN to travel, with supervision, into Sudzha. CNN reported that Ukraine was giving food to Russian citizens who remained in the city.[16] Some Russian civilians in the territory under Ukrainian occupation have complained that they have been abandoned by the Russian government.[17]
A curfew between the hours of 17:00 and 10:00 was introduced in the Sudzha district by the military commandant's office on 23 August 2024.[18]
On 3 September, The Guardian reported that soldiers returning from Sudzha claimed to have taken "trophies", such as Russian flags and posters seized from official buildings and T-shirts featuring Vladimir Putin taken from stalls at Sudzha market, and jokingly told residents without power or mobile reception that Ukraine had captured Kursk city and that Moscow was next.[19]
Contested by Ukraine on 8 August 2024.[24] Likely fully recaptured by Russia on 9 August 2024.[21] Contested by Ukraine since around 11 August 2024.[25][26] Likely captured by Ukraine on 18 August 2024.[27] Contested by Russia between around 10–12 September 2024.[28] Claimed captured by Russian sources on 11 September 2024. Confirmed captured by Russia on 13 September 2024.[29]
^Walker, Shaun (3 September 2024). "'It was all a blur': Ukraine's troops on their audacious incursion into Russia". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 September 2024. "We tell them Ukrainian forces have taken the city of Kursk and are marching on Moscow, and it's time to learn Ukrainian," laughed one soldier who had recently been in the city. Soldiers rotate out of Sudzha with trophies – ranging from Russian flags and posters seized from official buildings to T-shirts featuring Vladimir Putin taken from stalls at Sudzha market – but say they are not inflicting the same terror that Russian occupiers wrought on Ukrainian towns.
^ abBarros, George; Gasparyan, Davit; Bailey, Riley; Evans, Angelica; Mappes, Grace; Harward, Christina (9 August 2024). "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, August 9, 2024". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 9 August 2024. Geolocated footage published on August 9 indicates that Russian forces recently advanced west of Novooleksandrivka and within Ivanivka (both east of Pokrovsk).
^Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, September 4, 2024: "Russian milbloggers also claimed that Russian forces withdrew from positions in Malaya Loknya (northwest of Sudzha), consistent with previous Russian claims that a small contingent of Russian forces had been attempting to hold positions within Malaya Loknya."
^Barros, George; Evans, Angelica; Wolkov, Nicole; Mappes, Grace; Zehrung, Haley; Hird, Karolina (11 September 2024). "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, September 11, 2024". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 11 September 2024. Additional geolocated footage published on September 10 indicates that elements of the Russian 51st Airborne (VDV) Regiment (106th VDV Division) advanced north and northeast of Snagost (south of Korenevo) during a company-sized mechanized assault [...] Several Russian sources claimed that Russian forces fully seized Snagost, but ISW has not observed visual confirmation of these claims.
^Barros, George; Evans, Angelica; Harward, Christina; Bailey, Riley; Zehrung, Haley; Gasparyan, Davit (13 September 2024). "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, September 13, 2024". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 14 September 2024. Geolocated footage published on September 13 shows Russian forces operating in central Snagost (south of Korenevo), indicating that Russian forces recently seized the entirety of the settlement [...] Geolocated footage published on September 12 indicates that Russian forces recently advanced into northern Petropavlivka (east of Kupyansk).
^Faulconbridge, Guy; Kelly, Lidia (7 August 2024). "Ukraine pierces Russian border, triggering fierce clashes". Reuters. Ukraine struck back on Tuesday, and battles continued through the night into Wednesday as Ukrainian forces pushed to the northwest of the border town of Sudzha, 530 km (330 miles) southwest of Moscow, Russia's defence ministry said.
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