Kyiv on backfoot? Russia downs drones, mounts heavy attack in Ukraine's East

Aug. 21, 2024, 4:50 a.m.

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There has been much talk of the success of Ukraine’s unprecedented cross-border assault into Russia’s Kursk region. Kyiv now claims to control more than 80 settlements.

However, in the ever-changing dynamics of the battlefield, consistent victories are infrequent. While Ukrainian forces are holding their positions in Kursk, the situation in other areas is not as favorable for them.

Recently, Russia has not only launched a major offensive in Eastern Ukraine but also successfully defended against drones sent by Ukraine toward Moscow.

Advertisement Russian offensive in eastern Ukraine

Ukraine’s military reported a series of heavy Russian assaults on Tuesday (August 20) in the Toretsk and Pokrovsk sectors of eastern Ukraine. The attacks included an offensive on Ukrainian positions around Toretsk, particularly targeting the settlement of Niu-York.

Although the Ukrainian forces did not reveal the outcome, Russian sources previously claimed control over Niu-York. Firstpost could not independently confirm this claim.

The Pokrovsk front has become a focal point for Russia’s military efforts, with Ukraine’s forces reportedly repelling 49 Russian attacks on Tuesday, while another 13 clashes were ongoing, according to Ukrainian military statements.

Moscow thwarts Ukrainian drone assault

Russian air defences also intercepted 10 Ukrainian drones targeting Moscow, the city’s mayor, Sergei Sobyanin,said on Wednesday (August 21). He characterised the incident as one of the largest drone attacks on the Russian capital to date.

“Moscow’s layered defence system has effectively repelled all UAV attacks,” Sobyanin stated in a Telegram post, noting that no casualties or damage had been reported.

Drone attacks on Moscow are rare. The last one had occured in May. Back then, a drone incursion similar to the latest one had led to temporary disruptions at two of Moscow’s major airports.

Kyiv has increasingly targeted Russia’s energy infrastructure since the conflict’s onset in 2022, labelling these actions as “fair” retaliation for Russian strikes on Ukraine’s own energy facilities.

With inputs from agencies