Zelenskiy: Ukrainian Forces Gain Complete Control over  Sudzha

Department of Research, Strategic Studies and International Relations 16-08-2024

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced that Kyiv’s forces have taken full control of Sudzha, a Russian town situated approximately six miles (9.6 km) within Russian territory. The town, which had a prewar population of 5,000, is a critical site for the infrastructure that transports Russian gas to Europe. According to Zelenskiy, a Ukrainian military commandant’s office is being established in the town following its liberation.

Ukraine’s General Oleksandr Syrskyi reported the completion of the operation to Zelenskiy on Thursday. Although the claim has not been independently verified, a Ukrainian television channel aired footage from Sudzha, suggesting that the town is under Ukrainian control. Residents have largely been evacuated, but some remain, taking refuge in basements. A resident, Tatyana Anikeyeva, described to Russian television how volunteers provided essentials like water and food amid the ongoing shelling.

Sudzha is significant due to its role in the transmission of Russian natural gas from western Siberia to Europe, which accounts for about 3% of the continent’s gas imports. Andrei Fedorov, a former Russian deputy foreign minister, stated on a state television talk show that Ukraine’s takeover of Sudzha could force the Russian army to destroy the town to regain control, potentially disrupting gas supplies to Europe, particularly affecting Hungary and Slovakia.

Meanwhile, both Ukraine and Russia have reported progress in other areas of the Kursk region. Russia’s defense ministry claimed to have repelled Ukrainian forces and re-established control over the settlement of Krupets. In contrast, the acting governor of the Kursk region, Alexei Smirnov, ordered the evacuation of the Glushkovo region, located 28 miles northwest of Sudzha, amid concerns that Ukraine’s advance may continue. More than 120,000 residents have already been evacuated from the area, according to local authorities.

Reports have also surfaced that Challenger 2 tanks, provided to Ukraine by Britain, have been used in combat on Russian soil. The UK Ministry of Defence did not confirm the reports but stated that the use of such equipment for operations inside Russia was permissible.

Despite the gravity of the situation, Russian officials have largely downplayed Ukraine’s actions. President Vladimir Putin has refrained from labeling the situation as an “invasion” or “incursion,” instead referring to it as an “anti-terrorist operation.” Speaking at the United Nations, Russia’s deputy ambassador Dmitry Polyansky dismissed the Ukrainian assault on Kursk as a “mad and reckless operation” and predicted that Russia would soon regain control.