Fighting in Russia’s Kursk region has now spread to the neighboring Sumy region in Ukraine.
On Friday, Feb. 28, multiple sources reported that Russian troops had entered Ukraine’s Sumy region while fighting against the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU).
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DeepState, a Ukrainian military analysis platform, identified a hotspot on Friday evening near the village of Novenke in the Sumy region, close to the Russian border.
“The enemy had the opportunity to break through to the new position, building up a certain group and continuing to do so after sensing previous success. However, it cannot be said that they can easily gain a foothold in the village. In fact, it is inherently difficult due to the absence of a village as such, and the terrain itself does not facilitate this,” DeepState said in its update on Saturday, March 1.
That said, the situation in the Kursk region has become increasingly difficult for Ukrainian troops.
On March 1, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) published a report about Russian strikes using heavy FAB-3000 bombs – six times more powerful than the standard FAB/KAB-500 aerial bombs – on Ukrainian troops.
“Our units are holding the defense on the eastern [right] flank, but the enemy has managed to push through several positions on the western flank.” – a Ukrainian officer
Pressure from everywhere
Since gaining a foothold in Kursk in August 2024, Ukraine has lost less than half of the territories it held in the region previously, according to DeepState.
Fighting in Kursk has been difficult for two main reasons: the small battlefield and the extreme concentration of forces and resources.
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As seen in the DeepState map, Ukrainian-controlled territory in the Kursk region is now linked to the rest of Ukraine by only one road – one that Russian forces are attempting to sever while simultaneously exerting pressure on the flanks of Ukrainian troops in the region.
“The pressure is coming from two flanks simultaneously,” an officer stationed in the area told Kyiv Post.
“Our units are holding the defense on the eastern [right] flank, but the enemy has managed to push through several positions on the western flank.”
The enemy’s goal is clear: They want to reach the highway that runs through the Sumy region via Yunakivka to Sudzha.” – a Ukrainian marine fighting in Kursk
The Telegram channel Officer, run by an AFU serviceman, describes the right flank as relatively stable.
“On the right flank of the Kursk operational zone, things are more or less under control. The Russians are relentlessly throwing infantry into attacks, but our guys manage to repel them thanks to the work of infantry, drones, and artillery. The enemy has not had any success so far,” a March 1 update from the channel says.
However, the situation on the left flank was more complicated and worsened significantly after Russian forces captured the village of Sverdlikovo, on the Russian side across the border from Ukraine’s Novenke.
“Sverdlikovo, which is on the left flank, was lost about a month ago. The new settlement that the Russians entered – and from which my colleagues pushed them back – is just across the border, right next to Sverdlikovo,” a Ukrainian Marine fighting in the area told Kyiv Post.
“The enemy’s goal is clear: They want to reach the highway that runs through the Sumy region via Yunakivka to Sudzha. They’re now just one village away from achieving this.”
DeepState said the road to Sudzha, Ukraine’s foothold in the Kursk region, was under Russian fire control as of Feb. 25.
Drones everywhere, like ‘swarming spiders’
All sources interviewed by Kyiv Post mentioned the impact of Russian drones, particularly those controlled via fiber-optics.
“Honestly, the roads here are something else. Sometimes, they look like a spider’s den – drones everywhere, like swarming spiders,” a Ukrainian Marine drone operator told Kyiv Post.
“Many of them are shot down, some just lie there, waiting for a technician to pick them up. The enemy’s primary goal isn’t just to destroy our equipment on the roads, which would slow down movement and make our forces vulnerable, but also to locate and attack our drone positions,” he added.
Driving is scarier than actually being there. The air is full of drones – ours and theirs.” – a Ukrainian officer.
To counter this, one has to change positions constantly, which can be exhausting.
“For example, two drones came at us the other day within minutes of each other. Luckily, neither exploded. But constantly changing positions is exhausting,” he added.
A Ukrainian officer from the Sumy region described a similar situation.
“The road is an adventure. Driving is scarier than actually being there. The air is full of drones – ours and theirs,” the officer told Kyiv Post.
The fiber-optic drones, in particular, pose a tough challenge due to their immunity to jamming.
“On one hand, in active combat conditions, the cable can easily break, limiting the drone’s range. But on the other hand, this system makes the drone invulnerable to electronic warfare,” military analyst Denys Popovych told Kyiv Post.
“The only way to detect them is visually – when the fiber-optic line glints in the sunlight. Then, you have to shoot them down manually. Unfortunately, there’s no other way,” he added.
Meanwhile, Russian Telegram channels said the situation is just as daunting for Russian troops. They said the entire airspace above the front line is filled with Ukrainian drones, making it nearly impossible for them to advance.
But the outcome of this battle depends entirely on whether Ukraine has enough reserves.” – military analyst Denys Popovych
These channels also suggested that even if US military aid is reduced, it is unlikely to have a major impact on Ukraine’s drone production.
What’s next?
Russia has maintained a dominance in the border region, and Ukrainian troops have been having issues with ammunition and reinforcements. But despite it, Russian forces have failed to make significant progress in recent days.
In addition, sources from the area told Kyiv Post that Ukrainian artillery remains well-supplied.
On top of that, the battlefield in Kursk remains relatively compact, which allows Ukrainian troops to operate from positions just across the border in the Sumy region.
“The enemy desperately wants to enter Novenke and is doing everything possible to reach the Ukrainian grouping there,” said Popovych, referring to the border settlement on the Ukrainian side.
“So far, they haven’t succeeded. But the outcome of this battle depends entirely on whether Ukraine has enough reserves.”
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