Russia escalates Kursk conflict, targets its cities
The Russian armed forces are aggressively attacking cities in Kursk. For the first time since World War II, Russia has lost its territories, leading to an intense assault on towns in the Kursk region. The aim is to reclaim lost territories and destroy infrastructure that Ukrainians could use.
For the first time since World War II, Russian troops have faced the loss of their territory. In response, Moscow has decided to destroy cities in the Kursk region. According to UNITED24 Media, on March 16, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed the withdrawal from Sudzha. This city is a crucial logistical point in the Kursk offensive.
Destruction of cities as the invader's strategy
In an attempt to halt the Ukrainian offensive, Russian forces employed a tactic of destroying their own cities. Sudzha was the largest city under Ukrainian control, prompting Moscow to demolish buildings to limit further actions by its opponent.
At its peak, Ukrainian forces controlled approximately 1,400 square kilometres of Russian territory in the Kursk region, including 100 settlements. About 2,000 civilians remained in Sudzha, receiving humanitarian aid from the Ukrainian armed forces. The Russian actions aimed to destroy any infrastructure that could be used by the opponent.
Russians modernize powerful bombs
The Russians are modernizing, among others, FAB-3000 bombs to effectively attack their opponents and recapture territory seized by them. FAB-300s are being converted into glide bombs, enabling precise attacks on Ukrainian positions and cities situated away from the front lines. Such modernization complicates effective defence against these attacks. These actions illustrate how Russia adapts its military strategies in response to the situation on the front.
According to a report by the Institute for the Study of War on February 6, 2025, the Ukrainian operation in Kursk has had significant consequences. The actions of the Ukrainian forces forced the relocation of elite Russian units. In doing so, Ukraine complicated Russian operations and slowed down the execution of new attacks by the opponent.
The operation in Kursk demonstrated that even a small presence of Ukrainians on enemy territory can necessitate costly changes in military planning. However, if Ukraine loses access to Western support, Russia may regain the initiative due to its advantage in firepower.
