Did US Veto Ukraine Plan to Attack Putin's Navy Parade? What We Know
NewsweekAug 20
Russia Says Ukraine Launched Cross-Border Attack into Kursk Region
Above: An armored Bradley tank, operated by Ukrainian forces, on the roads of Toretsk, Donetsk region, on July 30, 2024. Image copyright: Libkos/Contributor/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
Russian officials said that Ukraine launched a cross-border raid into the Kursk region on Tuesday, with reports of fighting six miles (10 km) into Russian territory.
Russia's Defense Ministry said that up to 300 Ukrainian troops and 11 tanks took part in the assault, attacking Russian positions near Nikolayevo-Daryino and Oleshnya.
The Spin
Pro-Russia narrative
Ukraine's assault into the Kursk region is a major provocation, but Russian forces repelled the attack and drove the attackers back to the international border. Fighting is ongoing there, but the situation is under control and poses no real threat to Russian territory.
Pro-Ukraine narrative
While Russia's Defense Ministry claims to have repelled this attack, military bloggers from the country conceded that fighting is in fact ongoing inside Russian territory. The situation is not as under control as Russia's Ministry of Defense claims.