Ukrainian Armed Forces may withdraw from Kursk region of Russia due to risk of encirclement - Politico
The advance of Russian troops in the Kursk region and the intensity of their attacks are forcing Ukraine to consider withdrawing from this territory to avoid encirclement.
This is reported by Politico, Censor.NET reports.
It is noted that Ukrainian troops continue to hold most of the captured territory, but the Russian army's offensive is gaining strength, and soon the Armed Forces command will have to make a choice: to continue fighting or withdraw.
If this decision is made too late, Ukrainian troops risk being surrounded by the enemy, military analysts warn.
Politico quotes military analyst Yan Matveev. According to him, the situation on the battlefield in the Kursk region has "changed dramatically" in recent days.
"The Ukrainian command has to make a choice. To withdraw from the Kursk region, completing the operation and preserving forces, or to hold on, risking losing everything. The only real point of holding the bridgehead in Kursk is to use it as a bargaining chip in future negotiations. However, the loss of a significant number of experienced soldiers and advanced equipment during a prolonged defense could seriously weaken Ukraine's military potential in other regions," he notes.
Ukrainian soldier Artem Kariakin reports that Russia has deployed some of its best FPV drone units to the Kursk region, which is making logistics and maneuvers for Ukrainian forces much more difficult.
"Since the end of 2024, Russia has sharply intensified the use of FPV drones at different frequencies, via fiber optic communications and with fixed-Wing UAVs. Their main goal is to disrupt our logistics... Our forces are experiencing difficulties with the delivery of ammunition and provisions. Evacuation of the wounded has become a dangerous and lengthy process. Some soldiers have to move on foot because vehicles cannot get through," he wrote.
"Initially, it was a fairly large area. Now we have more or less enough troops to defend it. If the logistics become untenable, then we will need to retreat. Definitely," the military analyst told Politico.
The situation in the Kursk region
Earlier, the CCD said that difficult battles continue in the Sumy region, with Russian assault groups trying to break through and move toward the highway from Yunakivka to Sudzha in Kursk region.
According to media reports, the Russians broke through the Ukrainian defense line near Sudzha.
