State of battle (probably not super accurate since it's based mainly on fragmented Russian accounts):
Panic and chaos in Kursk Oblast suggest Putin may be trapped in a dead end https://english.nv.ua/nation/kursk-...-putin-says-political-scientist-50441574.html
Let's see how things are going for Putin and the Kremlin. The Russian General Staff ignored intelligence reports and never informed Putin about the impending incursion into Kursk. Tea or window? Russian General Staff Ignored Intel Reports Predicting Incursion into Kursk Region According to Bloomberg, despite the intelligence reports, which detailed the buildup of Ukrainian forces near the border, the General Staff did not tell Vladimir Putin what was going on. https://www.kyivpost.com/post/37127 Russia now in a State of Emergency. Russia 'scared' and declares state of emergency as Ukraine forces 'storm region' The Kursk region was plunged into chaos on Tuesday as an incursion was declared by the local government - despite initial claims from Moscow officials that the attack had been thwarted https://www.irishstar.com/news/us-news/ukraine-storms-russia-kursk-worry-33432425 Russia declares federal emergency as Ukrainian troops continue cross-border assault https://www.euronews.com/2024/08/09...cy-after-ukrainian-troops-storm-across-border A column of Russian troops was destroyed 20km inside the border. Ukraine ‘destroys Russian troop column’ 20km inside border as Kursk incursion escalates Videos posted on social media showed about 15 burnt-out trucks, some with dead bodies inside https://inews.co.uk/news/world/ukra...-column-inside-border-kursk-incursion-3218461 Pro-War Bloggers Slam Military Command Over Destroyed Russian Column in Kursk https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2024...over-destroyed-russian-column-in-kursk-a85978
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russias-deripaska-under-fire-rare-anti-war-comments-2024-08-09/ Russia's Deripaska under fire for rare anti-war comments By Gleb Bryanski August 9, 20244:51 PM GMT+2Updated 3 hours ago MOSCOW, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska came under attack from supporters of the war in Ukraine on Friday after making a rare anti-war statement in which he described the conflict as "mad" and called for a ceasefire without pre-conditions. Deripaska made the comment in an interview with Nikkei Asia in Japan this week on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Advisory Council meeting, where he officially represented Russia. Nikkei Asia said he criticised his country's defence spending and called for an "immediate, unconditional ceasefire" in Ukraine, saying: "If you want to stop the war, first you need to stop the fire." The reported comments marked the strongest criticism of the war by any powerful businessman still remaining in Russia since the start of the conflict in February 2022. "Previously, Deripaska's position on the special military operation was ambiguous. Now he has made his stance clear. He is on the other side," said philosopher Alexander Dugin, widely seen as one of the key ideologists of the war. "This is a stab in the back to our forces, and assistance to the Ukrainian army terrorists who have invaded the Kursk region," Dugin added in a statement posted on his Telegram channel. Representatives for Deripaska did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Deripaska branched out into metals trading as the Soviet Union crumbled, making a fortune by buying up stakes in aluminum factories. Forbes ranked his fortune in 2024 at $2.8 billion. In his latest reported comments he went further than in 2022, when he called for peace in Ukraine and cast the war as a tragedy for both the Russian and Ukrainian people. Deripaska has been under sanctions by the United States since 2018 and has tried to legally challenge them in U.S. courts. He has been under European Union and British sanctions since 2022. He called sanctions "a 19th-century instrument" and said they were inefficient.
Russia is so f@cked. Kyiv launches new ‘massive attack’ in Russia as reeling Kremlin rushes reinforcements to region https://nypost.com/2024/08/09/world...ling-kremlin-rushes-reinforcements-to-region/
Confirmed UA brigades seeing action in Kursk oblast so far: 22nd and 116th mechanized brigades 61st jäger brigade 80th, 82nd, and 95th air assault brigades Plus various smaller units (e.g. detached battalions). All highly experienced units. Counts to approximately two divisions. Although the military author I'm following suspects there may be as many unannounced in reserve to follow up on the advance without stalls, once the first units have fought for a week and need rest.
Kursk residents recorded a video for Putin, saying Russia's military chiefs are lying that Ukraine's attack is 'under control' https://www.yahoo.com/news/kursk-residents-recorded-video-putin-051231078.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall