The Ukrainian special forces detained 102 Russian and Chechen soldiers in Kursk Oblast, a source from the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) reported to the Kyiv Independent on Thursday.
The operation, part of a broader Ukrainian incursion into the adjacent Kursk Oblast, targeted a Russian military base and marked the war’s largest single capture of Russian troops to date.
The captured personnel are members of the 144th Guards Motor Rifle Division and the Akhmat unit, a Chechen force loyal to Russia.
Apti Alaudinov, leader of the Akhmat unit and a known associate of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, confirmed on August 7 that Russian forces had incurred losses due to Ukraine’s actions, acknowledging that “our people died, that’s a fact. The enemy has entered several settlements.”
The SBU source described the targeted Russian base in Kursk as a well-equipped, fortified structure with extensive facilities including living quarters, a dining area, and an armory.
Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi informed President Volodymyr Zelensky on the same day of the operation that over 100 Russian troops had been seized in the region, although it remains unclear if this refers to the same event.
President Zelensky expressed his gratitude towards those involved in the operation on August 14, highlighting the strategic importance of capturing Russian soldiers to expedite the exchange and return of Ukrainian POWs held by Russia.
He emphasized the potential acceleration in bringing home Ukrainian soldiers as a result of the operation.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi clarified on August 13 that Ukraine’s military actions, including the incursion into Kursk Oblast, are defensive measures aimed at protecting Ukrainian lives, preventing Russian reinforcements to the Donbas front, and stopping cross-border attacks by Russia.
A Russian airstrike on the Ukrainian city of Kherson resulted in the death of one person and injuries to 10 others, according to Roman Mrochko, the head of the Kherson military administration.
