REUTERS/Viacheslav Ratynskyi
But “after initial disarray and disorganization, Russian forces have deployed in greater force to the region, including likely from elsewhere along the contact line,” the defense ministry added. “They have also begun to construct additional defensive positions in an effort to prevent Ukrainian advances.”
Britain’s assessment of Russian force posture changes follows similar observations revealed on Thursday by the US.
John Kirby, a White House National Security Council spokesperson, said that the US has seen some Russian units redirected from operations in and around Ukraine to the Kursk region.
“I can’t say with certainty how many or how many more may go or what their intentions would be, but we have begun to see some Russian units being reapplied to the Kursk area,” he told reporters.
It remains to be seen whether these moves will reduce the pressure on Ukraine along other sectors of the front line, especially considering that the Ukrainians also pulled some troops off the line for the Kursk offensive.