Russia says Ukrainian troops in Kursk mobilized for new offensive

MOSCOW/KIEV, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) — Ukrainian forces are shifting their position to a different location in Russia’s Kursk region, preparing for a fresh offensive, a Russian officer said on Monday.
The Russian military maintains its grip on the situation, reported Tass, citing Apty Alaudinov, deputy head of the Main Military-Political Directorate of the Russian Defense Ministry.
Most of the Ukrainian troops that attempted to move forward were neutralized, along with some of their weaponry, he was quoted as saying, adding that the remaining units are moving to a new area, presumably to launch an attack from a different angle.
Meanwhile, the Russian Black Sea Fleet’s marines claimed they have captured a sabotage and a group of 19 Ukrainian servicemen near the village of Olgovka in the Kursk Region, Russian security authorities told media on Monday.
One of the main goals of the Ukrainian operation in Russia’s Kursk region is to create a buffer zone on the territory of Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday night.
Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk said on Sunday that the air force had struck a second key bridge in the Kursk region. On Friday, Ukraine announced it had destroyed a bridge in the town of Glushkovo. ■