Russian Border Region Attacked by Ukrainian Forces, State of Emergency Declared

• The Russian border region has been invaded by Ukrainian forces, prompting a state of emergency in Kursk.
• On Wednesday, the "operational situation" in the border areas of Kursk remained "complicated," as stated by acting regional Governor Alexey Smirnov.

An incursion into the Russian border region by Ukraine has led to the declaration of a state of emergency in Kursk.

On Wednesday, the "operational situation" in the Kursk border region remained "complicated," as stated by acting regional Governor Alexey Smirnov, one day after Russia announced that Ukrainian troops had infiltrated the area.

To prevent the enemy from entering the region and causing harm, I have declared a state of emergency, Smirnov announced in a Google-translated update on Telegram, stating that drone and missile attacks had occurred overnight.

On Tuesday, Russia's defense ministry announced that 300 Ukrainian soldiers had crossed the border with tanks and armored vehicles, entering the country near the town of Sudzha, approximately 400 miles southwest of Moscow. This occurred in the vicinity of Kursk, which is located on the border between Russia and Ukraine's northeastern Sumy region.

On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine of carrying out "another large-scale provocation" at the Russian border, as fighting continues between Ukrainian forces and Russian troops defending the region.

On Wednesday, Russia's defense ministry stated that its forces were eliminating armed groups through the use of air and missile attacks, as well as artillery.

Putin was informed by Valery Gerasimov, the head of Russia's general staff, that Russian forces had stopped an offensive launched by 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers, which was significantly higher than the initial estimate provided by Ukraine's defense ministry.

The enemy's advance into the Kursk direction was halted by the combined efforts of border units, border guards, and reinforcement units, with the use of air strikes, missiles, and artillery fire, as stated by Gerasimov in televised comments reported by Reuters.

The Ukrainian defense ministry has not responded to CNBC's request for additional information regarding the incursion.

On Wednesday, U.S. State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller stated that the U.S. was not informed about a Ukrainian incursion, but did not definitively say whether an offensive occurred.

The Ukrainians did not inform us in advance about the Kursk operation, but it is not unusual for them to keep their tactics secret before executing them. We provide them with equipment and advice, but it is appropriate for them to make their own decisions regarding day-by-day tactics and strikes.

Miller stated that the U.S. is currently communicating with the Ukrainians regarding the operation, but it is inappropriate to disclose the nature of their operations and objectives. It is more suitable for them to publicly discuss this matter.

The U.S. State Department Spokesperson responded to Putin's characterization of the incursion as a "provocation" by stating that it was "a little bit rich" given Russia's violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty through its illegal occupation of Ukrainian territory since 2014, starting with the annexation of Crimea and continuing with the large-scale invasion in February 2022.

Ukraine's strategy, Russia's response

The reasons and strategy behind Ukraine's border raid are unclear, but some defense analysts believe the operation may be aimed at compelling Russia to redeploy troops from eastern Ukraine, where a Russian summer offensive is gaining momentum.

On Wednesday, analysts from the Institute for the Study of War reported that Ukrainian forces had made confirmed advances of up to 10 kilometers into the Kursk region, while continuing mechanized offensive operations on Russian territory.

According to the ISW's analysis, Ukrainian forces have breached at least two Russian defensive lines and a stronghold in Kursk Oblast [region].

The ISW stated that the Kremlin's reaction to Ukrainian offensive activities in Kursk has been contradictory, as Russian officials are trying to strike a balance between portraying the effort as a significant Ukrainian escalation and avoiding overstating its potential implications and sparking domestic unrest.

The Kremlin risks discrediting itself among certain communities by dismissing the significance of the attack and framing it only as a 'provocation.'

A significant number of Russian military bloggers, who are frequently critical of the war and Russia's tactics and strategy, have heavily criticized Russia's military command for failing to detect Ukrainian offensive operations into Kursk and prevent the initiative.

Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council and a known hawk, urged Russian forces to defeat Ukrainian units in Kursk.

"We must take a grave lesson from what transpired and fulfill the promise made by Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov to the supreme commander-in-chief, which is to decisively vanquish and obliterate the adversary," he declared on Telegram, as per a Google translation.