In mid-November 2024, Ukrainian defenders successfully repelled the largest Russian assault in Kursk Oblast within a single day. Slidstvo.Info journalists were on the ground to witness the defense, as detailed in the recent report.
The video has English subtitles.
The 225th Separate Assault Battalion of the Ukrainian Armed Forces is currently engaged in combat in Kursk Oblast. In mid-November 2024, Russian armored vehicles approached Ukrainian positions to launch a major assault, with a total of 12 columns of tanks and APCs attempting to advance in just one day.
“The enemy was advancing with up to an infantry battalion and 50 vehicles. 36 of them were destroyed by the Ukrainian Defense Forces. Not only by our battalion, but also by the 95th Air Assault Brigade and the Special Operations Forces,” says Oleh ‘Sirko’ Shyriayev, commander of the 225th Battalion.
Defenders noted that this was the first time such a large number of Russian attempts to storm Ukrainian positions had occurred.
“Phenomenal! This is the first time in my memory that there have been so many assaults in one day with such a quantity of equipment. We were knocking out several columns a day at Chasiv Yar (Donetsk Oblast — ed.), but never so recklessly… It feels like a herd of suicidal maniacs coming to die on our Kursk land (laughs — ed.),” said Mykhailo ‘Sempay’, an officer from the command of the 225th Battalion.
In the context of this massive counter-offensive operation, according to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, the Russians have concentrated about 50,000 of their military personnel in Kursk Oblast.
“We are killing them here on an industrial scale; they attack and die every day. If we weren’t here, 50,000 Russians would be in Donetsk Oblast. The difference is that they often conduct simply absurd assaults here, while in Donetsk Oblast, they fight more competently and carefully. They simply have ‘disposable’ soldiers here who come and die,” said Mykhailo ‘Sempay’, an officer from the command of the 225th Battalion.
According to the military, it is crucial for Russia to regain control of Kursk Oblast, which is why the Russians attack every day despite suffering colossal losses.
Ukrainian defenders have not yet encountered military personnel from North Korea, as reported in the media.
“The enemy has significantly larger forces and has an advantage over us specifically in manpower; we do not rest, so we will have problems here. Rotation is needed,” added the commander of the separate assault battalion, Oleh ‘Sirko’ Shyriayev.
