ISW analysts find out where Russia redeployed troops to Kursk Oblast from

Russian troops are redeploying forces from lower-priority frontline areas in Ukraine to the line of contact in Russia’s Kursk Oblast. In particular, military personnel who had previously been on the Kharkiv and Siversk fronts and in the area of Chasiv Yar were spotted there.

Source: Institute for the Study of War (ISW)

Details: ISW has reported the deployment of units from the Russian 810th Naval Infantry Brigade, 155th Naval Infantry Brigade and 11th Guards Air Assault Brigade in Kursk Oblast. Additionally, there is evidence indicating that the Russian military leadership has recently shifted elements of the 56th Guards Air Assault Regiment from the Robotyne front in western Zaporizhzhia Oblast to Kursk Oblast.

While ISW has not yet observed reports confirming the presence of the 51st Guards Air Assault Regiment in combat within Kursk Oblast, the fact that the regiment's commander provided a briefing to Putin alongside leaders of other units recently transferred to the area strongly suggests that parts of the 51st Guards Air Assault Regiment have also likely been moved to this area.

Elements of the 51st Guards Air Assault Regiment have been active on the Siversk front in recent months, operating alongside other units from the 106th Guards Air Assault Division.

It seems that Russia has redeployed elements of the 810th and 155th Naval Infantry Brigades from their previous positions in northern Kharkiv Oblast and likely shifted elements of the 11th Guards Air Assault Brigade from the broader Chasiv Yar front.

The Russian military command appears to be under pressure to avoid diverting forces from its primary offensive push to capture the town of Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast. Therefore, it is likely to continue redeploying forces from lower-priority offensives elsewhere in the theatre to strengthen defences in Kursk Oblast.

To quote the ISW’s Key Takeaways on 25 August: 

• Russian milbloggers claimed that Russian forces recently regained lost positions in Kursk Oblast amid reports of continued Ukrainian attacks in the area on 25 August.
• The Russian military likely continues to redeploy forces from lower priority sectors of the front line in Ukraine to the front line in Kursk Oblast.
• French authorities arrested Telegram founder Pavel Durov on 24 August, prompting concern among Russian ultranationalist milbloggers about their ability to report freely on the war in Ukraine. ISW has not observed any direct evidence indicating that Durov's arrest will affect Telegram operations in the near term, however.
• Russian milbloggers reacted to Durov's arrest by focusing on how Russian soldiers rely on ad-hoc communications, including Telegram, for organising operations in Ukraine and called on the Russian military command to establish an adequate official communication system.
• Russian forces recently advanced near and within Toretsk and southwest of the city of Donetsk.

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