Russian FSB fights in Kursk Oblast – ISW

Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) is fighting in Russia’s Kursk Oblast and is trying to coordinate combat missions with other Russian military units.

Source: Institute for the Study of War (ISW)

Details: The Russian opposition newspaper Novaya Gazeta Evropa reported that it had identified an FSB special operations forces soldier who was killed in action in Kursk Oblast in August 2024, confirming that FSB special operations forces units are fighting in Kursk Oblast.

Novaya Gazeta Evropa, with reference to an FSB officer, reported that the FSB had assigned special operations forces, including elements of the Alpha and Vympel groups, with the task of identifying and destroying Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups in Kursk Oblast. 

The FSB officer stated that these groups were poorly suited to conducting combined arms battles with heavy equipment against regular armed forces. The FSB units have typically conducted counterterrorism operations against small terrorist groups and likely lack the training and equipment necessary to respond to Ukrainian units conducting combined attacks. 

Another source close to the Russian secret services told Novaya Gazeta Evropa that the FSB's Special Operations Centre has no "common connection" with Russian military units and that there is still no joint headquarters to coordinate combat missions between the FSB and the Russian military. 

Russian leader Vladimir Putin instructed the FSB to conduct a counterterrorism operation in Russia’s Belgorod, Bryansk and Kursk oblasts on 9 August after the start of the Ukrainian operation on 6 August, but then went on to assign overlapping tasks to the Russian Ministry of Defence, the FSB and the Russian Guard (Rosgvardia). 

The Kremlin and Russian military commanders have struggled to create a coherent and effective command and control structure to respond to the Kursk operation. It remains unclear which responsibilities fall under the scope of the FSB's counterterrorism operation or the Defence Ministry’s Coordination Council. 

The ISW assessed before that overlapping tasks and weak structures are likely to continue to create friction between the FSB and the Russian Defence Ministry.

To quote the ISW’s Key Takeaways on 26 September:  

• Germany, France, and the United States announced several immediate and more long-term aid packages for Ukraine on 25 and 26 September.
• The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) is reportedly struggling to coordinate combat tasks with the Russian military despite having control over the counterterrorism operation against the Ukrainian incursion in Kursk Oblast.
• Russian and Ukrainian forces continued assaults in Kursk Oblast but neither side made further advances in the area.
• Russian forces recently advanced north of the city of Kharkiv and Chasiv Yar and east and southeast of Pokrovsk.
• Russian milbloggers criticised the Russian military command for holding joint military exercises with Laos, arguing that such exercises demonstrate that Russia is not learning from its battlefield experience in Ukraine.

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