Introduction
Moscow's military is engaged in intense battles against Ukrainian forces in a critical area of Russia's Western front, focusing on a monastery where hundreds of Ukrainian troops are located.Context
In August, Ukrainian forces unexpectedly crossed the border into Russia, capturing almost 1,400 square kilometers (540 square miles) of the Kursk region. Their goal was to maintain control over part of the territory as leverage for future negotiations to end the ongoing conflict. Russia responded swiftly, dispatching heavy reinforcements, including troops from North Korea, which led to a significant reduction in the area under Ukrainian control.Developments
Latest battlefield reports from Deep State indicate that Ukraine currently holds only a narrow slice of Kursk. Reports from Russia's Defence Ministry and pro-Russian war bloggers indicate that heavy combat is taking place in the villages of Gornal, Guevo, and Oleshnya, which are located near the border with Ukraine's Sumy region.Mash, a Telegram channel affiliated with Russian security services, claimed that over 300 Ukrainian soldiers are defending the highlands surrounding Gornal, specifically taking refuge within the Gornalsky St. Nicholas Belogorsky monastery. An underground passage beneath the monastery allegedly allows for the evacuation of troops and the delivery of ammunition for sustained defense. Other sources, like the SHOT Telegram channel, corroborate that Ukrainian reinforcements are being funneled into Gornal via this passage.
War blogger Dnevnik Desantnika warned that if Ukraine loses control of Guevo and Gornal, Russian forces could face minimal resistance in advancing into Ukraine's Sumy region. The blogger emphasized that the landscape would favor Russian troops, making it difficult for Ukrainian defenses to withstand an onslaught in the Sumy region.
Kyiv's military leadership has reported an increase in Russian attacks along Ukraine's northeastern border, specifically targeting Sumy. They are conducting both defensive and offensive operations to maintain a protective buffer within Kursk. Roman Alekhin, a Telegram channel influencer with over 180,000 subscribers, stressed that Ukrainian forces would fiercely defend the high ground around Gornal, regardless of the potential casualties.