Russia claims Ukraine attempted to break into Kursk region, but Kyiv hasn't commented yet

Russian Governor Claims Ukrainian Military Attempted Border Breach

Aleksey Smirnov, the governor of Russia's Kursk Oblast, alleged on August 6 that the Ukrainian military attempted to breach the region's borders. Kursk Oblast, which borders Ukraine's Sumy Oblast, has been under frequent Russian attacks since parts of it were liberated in April 2022.

Pro-war Telegram channels reported that a sabotage and reconnaissance group with heavy equipment allegedly entered Kursk Oblast early in the morning. Smirnov claimed that Russian border guards successfully thwarted the attempted breach in the Sudzhansky and Korenevsky districts.

The Ukrainian military has not commented on these allegations, and the claims cannot be independently verified. Andrii Kovalenko, head of the anti-disinformation department at Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, asserted that Russia "doesn't control the border," and accused Russian military commanders of lying about their control over the situation in Kursk Oblast.

Meanwhile, Sumy Oblast experienced multiple explosions on August 6, followed by intensified Russian missile and glide bomb attacks throughout the day. Local authorities reported attacks on infrastructure near Sumy, though no casualties were reported.

In March, three anti-Kremlin Russian armed groups had conducted incursions into Belgorod and Kursk oblasts from Ukraine, leading to clashes with Russian forces and subsequent heavy Russian attacks on Sumy and the surrounding region.

Andrii Yusov, a spokesperson for Ukraine's military intelligence, confirmed to the Kyiv Independent that these anti-Kremlin raids led Moscow to "change plans" for a potential new attack in Ukraine's northern sector.

The Freedom of Russia Legion, involved in the earlier raids, and the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces declined to comment on the August 6 claims. Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) has not yet responded to requests for comment.

Russian attack on Kherson injured 5 people

On August 6, Russian troops attacked Kherson, injuring at least five people, according to Governor Oleksandr Prokudin. A Russian drone dropped explosives on the outskirts of the city, resulting in injuries to two men, aged 53 and 57, and three women, aged 37, 46, and 68. All five individuals were hospitalized.

Kherson and other settlements on the west bank of the Dnipro River were liberated by Ukraine's Armed Forces during a counteroffensive in the fall of 2022. Since then, Russian troops, now stationed on the east bank of the river, have been launching attacks on the liberated areas. These attacks have frequently led to civilian casualties and significant damage to homes and infrastructure.

Over the past day, Russian attacks across Ukraine resulted in at least three deaths and 19 injuries. In Kherson Oblast specifically, one person was killed and five others were injured, Prokudin reported.

Russian missile attack on Kharkiv injured 8, damaged clinic

On August 6, a Russian missile strike on Kharkiv injured eight people, including an 8-month-old baby, local authorities reported. The attack, which occurred around 10 a.m., targeted the Shevchenkivskyi city district with an Iskander missile, causing damage to a clinic, cars, and other civilian infrastructure, according to Governor Oleh Syniehubov.

Two of the injured have been hospitalized. This attack is part of a pattern of intensified assaults on population centers in Kharkiv Oblast, which have increased since Russian forces launched a new cross-border offensive in the northern part of the region in May. Although Ukrainian troops have managed to halt the advance, Russia continues to control several border settlements.

The arrival of F-16s has not changed US' policy on Ukrainian strikes inside Russia

The U.S. policy regarding Ukrainian strikes into Russian territory using American weapons remains consistent, even with the recent arrival of F-16 fighter jets in Ukraine, U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller confirmed during a press briefing on August 5.

On June 1, the U.S. authorized Ukraine to use certain American-supplied weapons, including HIMARS rockets, for targeting locations in Russia near the Kharkiv Oblast border, following Russia’s renewed offensive in the region starting May 10. However, Ukraine remains prohibited from using ATACMS and other long-range U.S. weapons for deeper strikes into Russia.

The U.S. will evaluate the use of American-made weapons, including the newly arrived F-16 fighters, based on battlefield conditions and the needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Miller stated.

“We constantly assess the needs of the Ukrainian military and the security situation to respond appropriately,” Miller said, emphasizing that this process has been ongoing from the beginning of the conflict.

On August 4, President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Ukraine had received its first batch of F-16s, which are now in use by Ukrainian pilots. This delivery follows the establishment of the Danish-Dutch-led "fighter jet coalition" announced at the NATO summit in Vilnius in July 2023.

Ukraine has been promised at least 79 F-16s from the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, and Belgium. The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, an American air superiority fighter, has been a key request from Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion.

The night strike on Kyiv Oblast caused no casualties or fires, but damaged houses, gas stations and facades

On the night of August 5-6, all Russian drones and missiles attacking Kyiv Oblast were intercepted, but some damage was reported.

According to Ruslan Kravchenko, Head of Kyiv Oblast Military Administration, Russian strikes targeted the region with missiles and drones. While air defenses successfully downed the enemy projectiles, damage was noted at several sites.

As of 8:00 AM, the reported damage included broken windows on the first and second floors of an apartment building with non-residential rooms damaged windows and facades at two petrol stations, and a damaged office building with broken doors and windows. A forester’s house was also affected by the blast wave. No casualties or fires were reported, and emergency services are on-site managing the aftermath.