Russia’s military had anticipated a possible Ukrainian incursion into the southwestern Kursk region for months, according to documents seen by The Guardian.
Ukrainian troops crossed into the Kursk region on Aug. 6, advancing several kilometers into Russian territory and capturing scores of towns and villages, including the border town of Sudzha. Russia has since claimed to have recaptured at least a dozen villages since launching a counteroffensive last week.
Russian military documents, dated as early as Jan. 4, discuss the “potential for a breakthrough at the state border,” The Guardian reported. Anti-Kremlin militias supporting Ukraine had already breached the Russian border multiple times, including in the neighboring Belgorod region, since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in early 2022.
A document from Feb. 19 reportedly predicted “a rapid push from the Sumy region into Russian territory, up to a depth of 80 kilometers [50 miles].” Another warning from mid-June indicated that the Ukrainian army aimed to capture Sudzha and disrupt Russian supply lines by targeting a key bridge over the Seim River.
The Guardian said it reviewed and photographed a selection of documents from Russia’s Interior Ministry, Federal Security Service (FSB) and military units, which were found in abandoned buildings in the Kursk region.
While the authenticity of the documents could not be independently verified, the report notes they appear to contain standard Russian military language, including “dry, meandering official language” in printed orders and handwritten logs documenting events and concerns at various positions.
The documents, dated from late 2023 to late June 2024, were primarily written by the second company of the 17th Battalion of Russia’s 488th Guards Motorized Rifle Regiment, according to The Guardian.