Digging in: Advance continues as Ukraine sets up command centre inside Russian border
A top Ukrainian commander has given the strongest sign yet that Ukrainian forces plan to dig in following their lightning incursion into Russia.
Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi said Kyiv had set up a military commandant's office in the occupied part of Russia's Kursk region, where he said his forces were still advancing.
This comes as Moscow's troops have reportedly stepped up their offensives in eastern Ukraine.
"We are moving forward in [the] Kursk region. A military commandant's office has been created which must ensure order and also all the needs of the local population," Col Gen Syrskyi said on his Telegram channel.
He added that the office would be headed by Major General Eduard Moskalyov.
The surge into Russian territory appeared to catch Moscow by surprise, seizing the initiative from the Kremlin's forces who have been grinding out small but steady gains all year in eastern Ukraine – a reported 18% of Ukraine is occupied by Russia.
It is believed that Ukraine exploited a weakness in Russia's electronic warfare coverage along this section of the border, deploying interceptor drones to knock out Russian reconnaissance capabilities and using short-range jammers to cover the attack.
BFBS Forces News understands British-donated Challenger 2s have been used by Ukraine in Kursk.
The Government said there had been no change in policy, and Ukraine has always had the right to use the weapons supplied by Britain as it chooses.
It is also understood that the UK Government is discussing with its allies whether to allow Ukraine to use Storm Shadow long-range cruise missiles outside of its borders.
However, the MOD continues to say it is not commenting on what specific UK-supplied weapons are being used.
The UK had donated approximately $5.7bn in military aid to Ukraine as of February 2024 and was one of the first countries to supply Ukraine with Western-made main battle tanks.
Ukraine received 14 Challenger 2 tanks last year to assist with its 2023 summer offensive.
Kursk advance
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been informed that the incursion had so far advanced 35km (22 miles) into the Kursk region, capturing 82 settlements and an area of roughly 1,150 sq km (444 square miles).
Although far higher than an estimate of 480 square km of territory given by the Russian acting regional governor of Kursk on Monday, the advances are the largest advance inside Russia since the Second World War.
While speaking in an address posted on Telegram, Mr Zelensky implied a need to move on to the "next steps", again hinting at other possible offensive actions on Russian territory.
He said: "We must clearly guarantee at the legislative level that our warriors who participate, for example, in the Kursk operation and will participate in all our other actions on the territory of the aggressor state, will receive absolutely all payments and benefits designated for the frontline."
Russian response
In response to the Ukrainian attack, Russia has said it will beef up its border defences, improve command and control, and send in additional forces.
"The enemy is pushing, it is trying to get through from everywhere, push through," said Major General Apti Alaudinov, the commander of Chechnya's Akhmat special forces, who are fighting in Kursk.
"But every day the enemy's forces are melting," he added.
Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov said the general staff had prepared a series of measures to defend Russia's border regions of Kursk, Bryansk and Belgorod.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly vowed to hit back with a "worthy response" to the incursion and Russian officials have warned that if Western weapons were used on Russian territory, Moscow would consider that a grave escalation.
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