Ukrainian soldiers engaged in combat within Russia’s Kursk region have recounted experiences that resemble a “horror movie” as they withdrew from the front lines.
Ukrainian troops have provided detailed testimonies describing a “catastrophic” withdrawal amid intense gunfire, with reports of destroyed military equipment and relentless assaults from numerous Russian drones.
In recent developments, soldiers have taken to social media to share their experiences, utilising aliases to safeguard their identities. Reports emerged of a significant “collapse” following Ukraine’s loss of Sudzha, the largest town under its control.
The restrictions imposed by Ukraine on travel to the front lines have made it challenging to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the current situation. Five Ukrainian soldiers recounted the events that transpired.
On March 9, “Volodymyr” communicated via Telegram to the BBC, reporting that he remained in Sudzha, a location experiencing “panic and collapse of the front.”
Ukrainian troops reportedly attempt to withdraw, with columns of soldiers and equipment observed in motion. Several individuals have been scorched by Russian drones while travelling along the road. Leaving during the day is not feasible.
Personnel, logistics, and equipment transportation have depended heavily on a single primary route connecting Sudzha to Ukraine’s Sumy region.
Volodymyr indicated that travelling on that road was relatively safe just a month prior. As of March 9, the situation was described as entirely under enemy fire control, with drones operating continuously. Within just one minute, observers can spot two to three drones in the sky. “That’s a significant amount,” he remarked.
The logistics are fully consolidated along the Sudzha-Sumy highway. It was widely acknowledged that the Russians would attempt to sever it. However, this development once again caught our command off guard.
As of this writing, just before Russia’s recapture of Sudzha, Volodymyr reported that Ukrainian forces faced pressure from three directions.
On March 11, Ukrainian forces were engaged in efforts to thwart the road’s cutting, as reported in Telegram messages from an individual identified as “Maksym.”
“A few days ago, an order was issued for an organised retreat from the defence lines,” he stated, noting that Russia had gathered a considerable force to reclaim the town, “which includes a substantial contingent of North Korean soldiers.”
Military analysts project that Russia has gathered a contingent of approximately 70,000 soldiers to reclaim Kursk, which reportedly includes around 12,000 personnel from North Korea.
Russia has deployed its top drone units to the front lines, utilising kamikaze and first-person-view (FPV) variants to establish fire control over key logistics routes.
Drones connected to operators via fibre-optic wires were included, a feature that renders them immune to jamming by electronic counter-measures.
Maksym reported that “the enemy managed to destroy dozens of equipment units,” adding that the resulting wrecks had “created congestion on supply routes.”
On March 11, the circumstances were characterised as “catastrophic,” according to an individual identified as “Anton.”
A third soldier interviewed by the BBC was stationed at the headquarters for the Kursk front.
He also emphasised the destruction inflicted by Russian FPV drones. “Our previous edge in drone technology has diminished,” he stated. He stated that Russia possessed an edge due to its more precise air strikes and prominent troop presence.
According to Anton, supply routes have been severed. “The logistics have collapsed, rendering organised deliveries of weapons, ammunition, food, and water unfeasible.”
Anton recounted his harrowing escape from Sudzha, revealing that he traversed the terrain on foot under the cover of darkness. “We almost died several times,” he stated, emphasising the perilous nature of his journey. Drones are constantly present in the sky.
A soldier has forecasted that Ukraine’s complete presence in Kursk will likely be forfeited, stating that “from a military perspective, the Kursk direction has reached its limits.” The decision to let go has become apparent.
According to estimates from Western officials, the Kursk offensive in Ukraine engaged approximately 12,000 troops. The soldiers in question were among the most highly trained in their ranks, armed with a range of Western-supplied weaponry, which included tanks and armoured vehicles.
Videos released by Russian bloggers depict the destruction or capture of various pieces of equipment. On March 13, Russian officials asserted that the situation in Kursk was “fully under our control,” claiming that Ukraine had “abandoned” a significant portion of its military equipment.
In social media posts dated March 11-12, a fourth soldier, identified as “Dmytro,” compared the retreat from the front lines to “a scene from a horror movie.”
The streets are strewn with countless wrecked cars, armoured vehicles, and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs). The situation has resulted in numerous casualties, both wounded and deceased.
He stated that multiple drones frequently targeted vehicles.
He recounted his harrowing experience of narrowly escaping when his vehicle became stuck. As he and his fellow soldiers worked to extricate the car, they became the targets of an incoming FPV drone.
The vehicle was narrowly avoided, but one of his comrades sustained injuries. He reported that they were forced to take refuge in a forest for two hours before rescue.
Dmytro reported that numerous Ukrainians made their way on foot, with individuals covering distances of 15 to 20 kilometres. The situation, he stated, has escalated from “difficult and critical to catastrophic”.
In a statement dated March 14, Dmytro remarked, “Everything is finished in the Kursk region… the operation was not successful.”
He estimated that the death toll among Ukrainian soldiers has reached the thousands since the initial incursion into Russia in August.
A fifth soldier expressed a more optimistic perspective regarding the situation. On March 13, “Artem” communicated via Telegram from a military hospital, where he was receiving treatment for shrapnel wounds sustained in a drone attack.
Artem reported that he had been engaged in combat further west, near the village of Loknya, where Ukrainian forces were demonstrating strong resistance and “fighting like lions.”
He viewed the operation as having attained a measure of success.
“The establishment of a buffer zone by the Armed Forces of Ukraine has effectively prevented Russian forces from entering Sumy,” he stated.
Ukraine’s chief military officer, Oleksandr Syrskyi, asserts that Ukrainian troops have strategically repositioned to “more favourable positions,” maintaining their presence in Kursk, and will continue to do so “for as long as it is expedient and necessary.”
According to him, Russia has experienced over 50,000 casualties during the operation, encompassing those who have been killed, injured, or captured.
The current circumstances stand in stark contrast to those of last August. Military analysts report that approximately two-thirds of the 1,000 square kilometres initially captured have been subsequently relinquished.
Prospects for Ukraine to exchange the Kursk territory for portions of its land have notably decreased.
In a statement made last week, President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his belief that the Kursk operation had successfully achieved its objectives, compelling Russia to withdraw troops from the eastern front and easing the pressure on Pokrovsk.
However, the exact cost remains uncertain.
