AFU advance southeast of Sudzha, destroy two bridges in Kursk region – ISW
Ukrainian forces continued to marginally advance southeast of Sudzha on August 16 amid continued Ukrainian operations in Kursk region, the Instutute for the Study of war (ISW) said in its update.
"Ukrainian forces advanced east of Mirny and south of Spalnoye (both southeast of Sudzha), and geolocated imagery published on August 15 indicates that Ukrainian forces recently operated within Borki (southeast of Sudzha). […] Geolocated footage published on August 15 and 16 indicates that Ukrainian forces continue to operate throughout the maximalist claimed limit of Ukrainian advances within Kursk region, including near Sudzha," it said.
ISW also noted, citing its sources, that fighting continued north of Sudzha near Russkoye Porechnoye, east of Sudzha near Agronom, and southeast of Sudzha along the Giri-Kamyshnoye-Krupets-Spalnoye line.
"Small Ukrainian mobile groups continued limited assaults behind the existing line of contact in Kursk region and that Ukrainian forces continued assaults near Korenevo and west of Snagost (south of Korenevo)," it said.
Ukrainian strikes reportedly destroyed two bridges in Glushkovo Raion, Kursk region.
"Ukrainian HIMARS strikes destroyed bridges in Glushkovo and Zvannoye (both southwest of Korenevo). Geolocated footage published on August 16 shows that the bridge in Glushkovo collapsed following the strike," the analysts said, adding that the destruction of the bridge will complicate Russian ground lines of communication in the area.
Ukrainian forces reportedly advanced further into western Belgorod region during recent cross-border assaults than previously reported, but available open-source reporting and evidence indicates that Ukrainian forces no longer maintain positions within Belgorod region as of August 16.
"The Washington Postreported on August 15 that Ukrainian personnel who participated in cross-border assaults into Belgorod region stated that Ukrainian groups conducted mechanized assaults near the Kolotilovka border checkpoint (on the international border northwest of Belgorod City) on August 11 and advanced up to roughly 10 kilometers in the area. Russian sources claimed that Ukrainian forces repeatedly attacked near Kolotilovka in recent days and temporarily seized the Kolotilovka checkpoint on August 15 but did not claim that Ukrainian forces advanced anywhere close to 10 kilometers beyond the checkpoint. The Washington Postreported that Ukrainian forces held positions within Belgorod region while under heavy Russian airstrikes and artillery fire and that Ukrainian armored vehicles crossed into Belgorod region to evacuate remaining Ukrainian personnel from these positions on August 15," ISW said in the update.
ISW has not observed any Russian claims or evidence suggesting that Ukrainian forces remain in Belgorod region as of August 16.
"Russian forces in Belgorod region were more prepared to repel cross-border Ukrainian assaults than Russian forces in Kursk region and that Russian forces had established an extensive array of "dragon's teeth" anti-tank fortifications along the border and heavily mined the area. […] The Ukrainian soldiers' description of the Russian response suggests that the operational surprise, which Ukrainian forces achieved on August 6 when launching the incursion into Kursk region, had largely dissipated by August 11 and that Russian forces in Belgorod region had prepared to repel Ukrainian cross-border assaults. Ukrainian forces have made subsequent rapid advances across other sections of the border with Kursk region since starting the incursion on August 6, however, and it is likely that Russian forces are more heavily defending some sections of the border than others," it said.