Russia moves several units from Pokrovsk axis to Kursk region – ISW

This is stated in the latest report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) think tank, seen by Ukrinform.

"The Russian military command may have redeployed limited elements intended to reinforce Russia's priority offensive operation in the Pokrovsk direction to defend against the Ukrainian incursion in Kursk Oblast," analysts note.

In their opinion, this shows that the operational pressure of Ukraine’s Armed Forces in Kursk region affects Russian operations in every sector along the entire front.

According to ISW, on August 14 and 17, at least a company from Russia’s 15th separate motorized rifle brigade was transferred from the Pokrovsk direction in eastern Ukraine to Kursk region. The brigade has been operating east of Pokrovsk since mid-August.

In addition, on August 19, the OSINT platform Evacuation.info stated that Russia had also redeployed units of the 1st Slavic motorized rifle brigade (1st Army Corps) from the Donetsk direction to Kursk region. At the end of July and in August 2024, there were reports that units from that brigade were operating in the Toretsk and Pokrovsk axes.

Analysts note that the redeployed forces were likely reserve units that the Russian military command intended to use to strengthen the grouping in the Toretsk and Pokrovsk axes.

The ISW noted that until now, Russia’s military command avoided redeploying forces to Kursk region from these directions and so far mainly withdrew troops from the lower priority areas: the north of Kharkiv region, the Kupiansk-Svatove-Kreminna axis, and the western part of Zaporizhzhia region.

At the same time, analysts believe that the redeployment of parts of the mentioned brigades will not have an immediate impact on the situation on the battlefield in the Pokrovsky or Toretsk directions, since these forces are small.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, Ukraine on August 6 launched an offensive operation in Russia’s Kursk region.

As of August 27, as part of establishing a buffer zone in Kursk region, Ukraine’s Defense Forces have gained control of 100 settlements and captured 594 Russian soldiers.

This is an illustrative photo