Russia recaptures part of Kursk territory, Black Sea war returns

Specifically, the Russian Defense Ministry said that in the past two days, the Russian army liberated 10 settlements in the Kursk Region. In addition, the Russian army also repelled four attempts by the Ukrainian army to break into the border towards the settlements of Novy Put and Medvezhye.

The Russian army is stepping up its counter-offensive to retake areas in Kursk. Photo: Sputnik

Russia determined to regain lost territories in Kursk

As is known, Ukraine launched a surprise attack on Russia's Kursk border region on August 6, advancing kilometers into Russian territory and capturing dozens of residential areas.

The biggest foreign military offensive on Russian territory since World War II has caught Moscow by surprise in its third-year conflict with Ukraine.

From the beginning, Russia declared its determination to push the Ukrainian army out of the area and is gradually carrying out that task. "Units of the 'Northern' grouping liberated 10 settlements in two days," the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement posted on its Telegram channel.

Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky said in late August that Kiev had seized 100 settlements and nearly 1,300 square kilometers of Russian territory.

Kiev says it does not want to occupy Russian territories, but hopes the offensive could force the enemy to disperse its forces and could give Ukraine a better position in future negotiations.

However, this plan of Ukraine does not seem to be effective. President Vladimir Putin has rejected the possibility of Russia sitting at the negotiating table with Ukraine because of the above-mentioned cross-border attack, saying that this is a wrong plan of Kiev.

In addition, Ukraine's weak forces and continued to attack Kursk have left their defenses on the eastern front vulnerable. Russia has taken advantage of this weakness and stepped up its offensive in the Donbas region, taking control of several strategic towns in recent weeks.

Black Sea War Returns, Tensions With the West Escalate

In addition, Russia has also increased air strikes on targets across Ukraine since Kiev attacked Kursk. And according to Ukraine's announcement, Russia has also just attacked targets in the Black Sea.

A ship carrying grain to Egypt was hit by a Russian missile shortly after leaving Ukrainian territorial waters and there were no casualties according to preliminary assessments, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

A view shows a damaged cargo ship in the Black Sea on September 12, 2024. Photo: Press Service of the President of Ukraine

If confirmed, the incident would mark a sharp increase in tensions between Moscow and the US-led NATO military alliance, which is discussing the possibility of allowing Ukraine to use long-range weapons provided by the West to strike at Russian territory.

British maritime security firm Ambrey said in a statement that a cargo ship flying the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis was hit by a missile fired by Russia after departing from the Ukrainian port of Chornomorsk in the Odessa region. The ship suffered damage to its port side, including its cargo hold and crane, the firm said.

Ukraine is a major global grain exporter and has struggled with Russia to restore exports through Black Sea ports after the conflict between the two countries broke out in 2022.

Exports were restored later that year from three Odessa region ports under a deal brokered by the United Nations and Türkiye, but were also broken last year.

In August 2023, Ukraine established its own shipping corridor – without Russian approval – after using maritime drones and long-range weapons to attack Russia's Black Sea Fleet, thereby pushing Moscow's ships out of the western Black Sea.

Accordingly, ships come to this shipping corridor surrounding the western coast of the Black Sea to pick up grain, then leave Ukrainian waters to head south through Romania and Bulgaria.

Bui Huy (according to TASS, Sputnik, AFP)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/nga-chiem-lai-mot-phan-lanh-tho-o-kursk-chien-su-bien-den-tro-lai-post312139.html