Russia's costly gains: Heavy casualties in Ukraine conflict
Russia continues its attacks on Ukraine, gaining small pieces of land, but this comes with heavy losses. In the past 24 hours, the aggressor lost 1,290 soldiers, either killed or wounded, and 350 pieces of weaponry, according to a statement from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced on Saturday morning that, in the past 24 hours, Russia lost nine tanks, 27 armoured vehicles, 59 artillery systems, 110 drones, and 115 other vehicles.
Massive losses for Russia: The fight for attrition continues
Russia launched a full-scale attack on Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Since then, it has been paying a high price for its actions. It is estimated that the aggressor has lost over 667,000 soldiers overall, nearly 9,000 tanks, 18,000 armoured vehicles, over 19,000 artillery systems, 17,000 drones, 28 ships, and 26,500 vehicles.
From the Ukrainian Navy's Saturday report, we learn that "there are currently two enemy ships in the Black Sea carrying Kalibr cruise missiles." The Russians do not have any ships in the Sea of Azov.
Currently, the Russians are not only conducting operations aimed at capturing additional areas in Ukraine. The local army also wants to push Ukrainians out of their own lands around Kursk and before winter arrives, according to a report from the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
"Russian forces intensified efforts to displace Ukrainian forces from the Kursk region last Thursday, increasing attacks in the Glushkovo area," the ISW report stated. The authors confirmed that the Russians have encircled Ukrainian positions near Lubimovka in recent days.
"Intensified Russian counterattacks are likely aimed at pushing Ukrainian forces out of the Kursk region before unfavourable weather conditions in autumn 2024 and early winter 2024/2025 begin to restrict battlefield manoeuvring," the Americans added in their report.
Pushing Ukrainians out of Kursk would free up Russian combat forces for priority offensive operations in the Donetsk region in Ukraine.
