Operational pressure from the Ukrainian Armed Forces is having an impact: Russia sends units from Pokrovske direction to Kursk - ISW

The Russian military command has redeployed some units near Kursk that were intended to strengthen the priority offensive in the Pokrovsk sector. At the moment, this is a redeployment of limited forces, but it suggests that the Ukrainian Armed Forces' operation is increasingly putting operational pressure on the aggressor.

Under its influence, the enemy is forced to adjust plans for its offensive operations in all sectors across the entire theater of operations. This conclusion was made by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

The analysts followed the statements of Russian sources, as well as complaints from social media users, who reported on August 14 and 17 that at least a company of the Russian 15th Motorized Rifle Brigade (2nd Combined Arms Army, Central Military District) had already been redeployed from the Pokrovsk direction to the Kursk region. This was also reported by some Russian and Ukrainian open-source communities.

According to ISW, elements of the Russian 15th Motorized Rifle Brigade were involved in offensive operations in the Donetsk region, which is currently the Kremlin's top priority. In particular, in mid- and late August, they were still observed operating east of Pokrovsk.

OSINT Evocation.info stated on August 19 that Russia had also redeployed elements of the 1st "Slavic" motorized rifle brigade (1st Army Corps of the "DPR") from Donetsk region to Kursk. These occupants in late July and August 2024, according to some reports, operated on the frontline in the direction of Toretsk and Pokrovsk.

"However, we have not observed any signs that these redeployed elements have previously participated in frontline combat in the Russian-assessed priority Toretsk and Pokrovsk areas," ISW noted.

According to experts, the Russian military command is still extremely reluctant to withdraw combat-ready units from the frontline areas in these areas. Although the redeployed units were most likely reserve units that it intended to use to strengthen its grouping in these areas of the front and prevent the threat of a premature end to the operation, which is so desirable for the Kremlin.

"The redeployment of limited elements of the 15th and 1st motorized rifle brigades will not affect the combat situation in the Pokrovske or Toretske directions, as these are small forces. It remains unclear whether the Russian military command has already deployed additional reserves intended for its offensives on Pokrovsk and Toretsk to repel the Ukrainian invasion of the Kursk region," ISW emphasized.

At the same time, they noted that so far, the Russian army command has avoided redeploying any forces planned for the offensives on Toretsk and Pokrovsk to defensive operations in the Kursk region. Until now, it has mainly moved forces to Kursk from lower-priority areas, such as from the north of Kharkiv region, the Kupiansk-Svatove-Kreminna line, and from the west of Zaporizhzhia region. Accordingly, the operational pressure of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Kursk region had an impact on the aggressor's actions.

"The decision of the Russian military command to deploy limited elements to the Kursk region instead of sending them to the operation to capture Pokrovsk or Toretsk suggests that it was unable to completely isolate its priority offensive operations in the Donetsk region from the human needs caused by the Ukrainian invasion of Kursk," the analysts concluded.

As reported by OBOZ.UA, as of mid-August, Russia had already withdrawn incomplete personnel of several brigades from the Ukrainian front - a total of 5,000 occupants. However, according to experts, to push the Ukrainian Armed Forces out of the Kursk region, the Kremlin needs about 20,000 trained soldiers.

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