Map of Ukraine's surprise attack on Russia's Kursk region

The surprise Ukrainian offensive on August 6 left Russia struggling to repel it for more than a week, forcing it to announce emergency measures including the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of civilians.

Both Kiev and Moscow have now acknowledged the incursion into Russia's border region. The Kursk region, located in western Russia and bordering Ukraine, has a population of about 1.2 million.

map of ukraine's surprise attack on russia's kursk region picture 1 — Graphic photo: Al Jazeera

How much of Russia's territory does Kiev claim to control?

Oleksandr Syrskii, the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian military, announced that Kiev forces controlled about 1,000 square kilometers of Russia's Kursk region on August 12. According to analysts, that is roughly the area of land that Russia has entered Ukraine this year.

Meanwhile, the Institute for the Study of War (USA) estimates that Ukraine has advanced about 800 square kilometers based on satellite images and open source information.

On August 13, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukrainian forces now control 74 Russian settlements in the Kursk region, the result of Ukraine's cross-border operation.

Map of Ukraine's surprise attack on Russia's Kursk region, picture 2 — Graphic photo: Al Jazeera

Where is the evacuation taking place?

The Russia-Ukraine land border is about 1,974 km long. And so far, due to the Ukrainian offensive, nearly 200,000 Russians have been forced to evacuate the border areas.

Belgorod region Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov declared a state of emergency on August 14 due to continued Ukrainian bombing. "The situation in the Belgorod region continues to be extremely difficult and tense," Gladkov said.

Map of Ukraine's surprise attack on Russia's Kursk region, figure 3 — Graphic photo: Al Jazeera

Why did Ukraine conduct the raid?

President Zelenskyy said Russian forces have conducted nearly 2,100 artillery strikes from Russia's Kursk region into Ukraine's Sumy region since June 1, 2024, and that Ukraine's operations into Kursk were aimed at protecting its border from Russian troops.

Mr Zelenskyy stressed that the offensive was tactical - not aimed at seizing Russian territory but at forcing Russia to cease fire.

The Institute for the Study of War reports that geolocated footage shows Ukrainian forces have recently been active in Sudzha and north of Zaoleshenka. On August 12, it was alleged that Ukraine had captured the town of Sudzha, according to Russian sources.

Is the gas line near Sudzha affected?

Fierce fighting between Ukrainian and Russian troops is taking place near a pipeline that Russia uses to deliver gas to European countries. However, grid operators and gas companies say the flow of gas has not been disrupted.

The town of Sudzha is home to the only pumping station that transports Russian natural gas to Europe via Ukraine. European countries such as Austria, Hungary and Slovakia still buy gas from Russia – all of which flows through the town of Sudzha.

Located about 10 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, the town of Sudzha receives an average of 42 million cubic meters of Russian gas flowing through its pipeline en route to Europe every day. This flow is measured by the town's gas metering system.

Despite its war with Russia, Ukraine has allowed gas to continue to flow through Soviet-era pipelines without restrictions.