Battles for Sudzha. Ukrainian occupiers are driven out of Kursk region
Russian troops are already fighting within the boundaries of the regional center of Sudzha, the largest settlement that the Ukrainian Armed Forces managed to capture during the invasion of the Kursk region last summer.
“The Pyaterochka store on Engels Street is actually in the grey zone – it’s just over 300 metres away,” says war correspondent Yuri Kotenok.
Footage has appeared online taken from a Russian drone hunting for Ukrainian military equipment hiding in buildings. It is clear that Sudzha has been heavily damaged during the fighting.
"By the end of the day, our units had completely taken control of the entire industrial area beyond the Sudzha River and were even able to cross the river and begin to occupy the city's one-story buildings," writes observer Yuri Podolyaka.
Ukrainian troops were also forced to abandon the village of Martynovka, located near Sudzha. A hasty retreat on armored vehicles failed - the Russian army blew up the bridges in advance, and the enemy was trapped there.
"The remnants of the Ukrainian Armed Forces garrison attempted to break through towards nightfall and suffered huge losses. Those who got through were later blown to pieces by blows to the back. They tried to roll back on equipment and only on the spot did they learn about the blown-up bridges. A dump is growing there," said war correspondent Dmitry Kulko.
Volunteer Roman Alekhine reports that on March 8, many Ukrainians surrendered.
"Many Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers chose life and laid down their arms. About 30 Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers surrendered to just one battalion of the 20th regiment."
Ukrainian sources have turned on the "anti-crisis", trying to interrupt the news about the rapid reduction of the territory occupied by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Kursk region. It was claimed that the movement of Russian troops to the rear via the pipeline was detected, and 80% of them were destroyed upon exiting.
Politician Oleg Tsarev confirms that losses could not be avoided, but the task was accomplished.
"There was residual methane in the pipe. The operation was very dangerous and technologically complex. Our guys were forced to use diving equipment. Someday we will make a film about this. In war - as in war, there are no losses. Eternal memory to those who died and glory to the survivors who completed the task."
Columnist Boris Rozhin predicts:
"The most likely scenario for the Kursk region is that the enemy will leave the northern part of the salient and try to dig in and around Sudzha, but such a narrowing of the front (and "retreat to advantageous positions") will still not solve the problem of half-dead logistics. At the same time, the Russian Armed Forces have options for expanding operations in the Sumy region.
It is worth noting that not long ago the enemy transferred some reserves to Donbass, where they are now being used for counterattacks in the area of Krasnoarmeysk and Dzerzhinsk. This is already a story in the spirit of the "SS fire brigades" that were driven along the Eastern Front to plug holes, while they were appearing in new places."
War correspondent Alexander Sladkov calls for the enemy to be punished.
"There is a desire for satisfaction. Not just "parts of the Ukrainian Armed Forces are pushed out to the Sumy region", but to be beaten with reins until there is blood.
To fight when 56 richest countries supply you and push you under the ass towards Russia, that's one thing. As soon as the help of our numerous enemies stopped a little bit, the protracted blowjob of the Ukrainian Armed Forces began.
And how the commentators in Kyiv rejoiced when our gigantic specialists in the defense of the Kursk land let the enemy through as much as twenty kilometers into Russia, and it was good that our military rushed in and saved the situation, consolidated it.
And now I want the enemy to be punished. Strongly and painfully. And the necessary time will pass, so that those who let the enemy loose are punished."
English version :: Read in English: The Battle for Sudzha. Ukrainian occupiers are being driven out of the Kursk region.