Kyiv says troops advancing further in Russia, as BBC told UK tanks used in incursion (2024)

Summary

President Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukrainian troops are advancing deeper into Russia's Kursk region as part of a surprise incursion launched nine days ago
He says a military administration is being set up in the settlement of Sudzha
This comes as a UK source confirms to the BBC that British Challenger 2 tanks have been used in Ukraine's incursion into Russia
Meanwhile, Russia's defence minister says he is overseeing plans to "safeguard the border population", including by allocating more forces to the area
Moscow has insisted that it is pushing Ukrainian troops back, and claims to have retaken a settlement in the Kursk region

Live Reporting

Edited by Nathan Williams and Sophie Abdulla

What's happened today?published at 18:50 British Summer Time 15 August
18:50 BST 15 August
- A UK source has confirmed to the BBC that UK-donated Challenger 2 tanks have been used by Ukraine as part of its surprise incursion into Russia. The department reiterated that Ukraine had "a clear right" to use UK-supplied weapons to defend itself
- The policy means anti-tank missiles, artillery, armoured vehicles and other UK-donated weapons could be used during Ukraine's offensive. However, there is an exception for the UK's Storm Shadow missiles
- Meanwhile, President Zelensky says Ukrainian troops continue advancing deeper into Russia’s Kursk region as part of a surprise incursion, claiming "more than 80" settlements there were now under Ukrainian control
- A Ukrainian military administration was being set up in the biggest one of them - Sudzha - Zelensky said
- And in a post on Telegram, the Russian Ministry of Defence says a coordinating council has been set up to deal with military security in Russia’s Belgorod, Bryansk and Kursk regions
Today's live coverage has now closed - read the latest in our main story here.
Russian Ministry of Defence says 'coordinating council' establishedpublished at 18:22 British Summer Time 15 August
18:22 BST 15 August
In a post on Telegram, the Russian Ministry of Defence says a coordinating council has been set up to deal with military security in Russia’s Belgorod, Bryansk and Kursk regions, all of which border Ukraine.
The decision was announced by defence minister Andrei Belousov at a special meeting on border security, following Ukraine’s surprise incursion.
“Its purpose is to improve the efficiency of comprehensive support of the groups of forces, solving the tasks of protecting the state border, protection of the territory and population of the regions,” Belousov was quoted as telling the meeting.
In pictures: Evacuations from Russia's Belgorod regionpublished at 18:08 British Summer Time 15 August
18:08 BST 15 August
As we previously reported, a federal level emergency has been declared in Russia's Belgorod region.
Belgorod is next to the Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces crossed into Russia - an incursion that started over a week ago.
On Monday, 11,000 people were evacuated from the Krasnaya Yaruga district, according to the Russian state news agency TASS.
Images show Russian citizens arriving at a railway station to travel to temporary accommodation centres in the Nevinnomyssk, Mineralnye Vody and Shpakovsky municipalities.
Image source, Russian Emergencies Ministry / Handout
Image source, Russian Emergencies Ministry / Handout
Ukrainian residents urged to evacuate eastern town as Russia closes inpublished at 17:37 British Summer Time 15 August
17:37 BST 15 August
Image source, Reuters
Back in Ukraine residents, especially families are being urged to leave the Ukrainian-held town of Pokrovsk as Russian forces in the Donetsk region close in.
According to Ukrainian media, the head of the region's Pokrovsk military administration Serhiy Dobryak says the "enemy has almost reached the edge of our community".
Russian forces are "a bit more than 10km from the outskirts of Pokrovsk city", Dobryak says, adding that the "community and city were shelled", with critical private and residential infrastructure targeted.
"People are dying. So I am calling on you not to procrastinate and to evacuate. This particularly concerns families with children and the elderly."
Pokrovsk - about 70km (43 miles) north-west of Russian-held Donetsk city - has been the epicentre of intense fighting for months with Russian forces edging forward since October 2023.
Is Ukraine overplaying its hand?published at 17:15 British Summer Time 15 August
17:15 BST 15 August
Frank Gardner
Security correspondent
With each day that Ukrainian forces remain inside Russia therisk increases that they could, conceivably, find themselves overwhelmed bysuperior force of numbers.
"The Russian army tends to move slowly," says a seniorBritish defence source, "but once it cranks into gear it presents asizable force."
Ukraine is critically short of manpower in this war and itcertainly can't afford to lose some of its best remaining combat troops whohave carried out this incursion so skilfully.
"The moment the Russians start redeploying some of theirbest troops in size to tackle this incursion, "says another senior Britishdefence source, "that's the moment the Ukrainians need to withdraw backacross the border."
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Military experts reckon that after some early successes, Ukrainehas made a number of costly strategic mistakes in the war.
Sacrificing so many of its best troops in the ultimately faileddefence of Bakhmut and Avdievka in easter Ukraine has been a terrible blow.
Some go further, accusing President Zelensky of a disastrouserror of judgement in not mobilising more of his country’s young men from thestart. "This is a war of survival for Ukraine," said one.
"Delaying conscription is not a luxury it has."
Latest updates on Ukraine's Russian incursionpublished at 16:55 British Summer Time 15 August
16:55 BST 15 August
Image source, Getty Images
- President Zelensky says Ukrainian forces have taken full controlof the Russian town of Sudzha - and set up a military administration there
- Ukraine's top commander says its troops are 35 km insideRussia's Kursk region, where theycontrol 1,150 sq km of territory, including 82settlements
- This comes as a source has told the BBC that British tanks have been used during Ukraine'sincursion into Russian territory
- Russia defence minister says he is personally overseeing plansto "safeguard" the populationon the border, including by sending more troops the region
- The UN's Human Rights Office says it has asked Moscow for accessto Russian border areas affected by a cross-border attack by Ukrainian forces
You can read this morning's updates here, including the confirmation from the UK Ministry of Defence that Ukraine can use British weapons on Russian soil - except long-range Storm Shadow missiles.
Ukrainian military administration being set up in Sudzha - Zelenskypublished at 16:28 British Summer Time 15 August
16:28 BST 15 August
Vitaliy Shevchenko
Russia editor at BBC Monitoring
Image source, Volodymyr Zelensky/X
President Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukrainian troops continue advancing deeper into Russia’s Kursk region as part of a surprise incursion launched nine days ago.
In an address, external, he said "a new advancement" has been made and more Russian soldiers have been captured.
He also referred to the figure previously given by his Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky and said "more than 80" settlements in Russia's Kursk region were now under Ukrainian control.
A Ukrainian military administration was being set up in the biggest one of them, Sudzha, the Ukrainan president said.
"I thank each of our warriors who are making this possible. Well done!" President Zelensky said.
Gen Syrsky saidearlier that the "commandant’s office" would provide help to any remaininglocal residents.
But in addition to solving logistics and humanitarian issues,setting up a Ukrainian administration in the captured Russian town sends out amessage: we're here to stay, at least for now.
In pictures: Aid distributed to people in Kurskpublished at 16:09 British Summer Time 15 August
16:09 BST 15 August
As we receive more information on humanitarian corridors between Russia and Ukraine, people in the Kursk region in Russia have been receiving humanitarian aid from the Red Cross.
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Getty Images
Ukraine 'working with military' on humanitarian corridor towards Sumypublished at 15:51 British Summer Time 15 August
15:51 BST 15 August
We reported earlier on Ukrainian plans for a "security zone" in Kursk with humanitarian corridors both towards Russia and Ukraine.
We've since had an update from Ukraine Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk via Telegram, who says Kyiv is working with the military on a possible route for civilians to leave Kursk for Sumy in Ukraine.
As for the other direction - towards Russia - she says this is a possibility, but no official request from Russia has been received so far.
Russian defence minister 'overseeing plans to safeguard border population'published at 15:10 British Summer Time 15 August
15:10 BST 15 August
Sandro Vetsko
BBC Monitoring
Russian officials have drawn up a plan for "additional measures" to safeguard the population and infrastructure in areas bordering Ukraine, Defence Minister Andrei Belousov says.
The Russian Defence Ministry published a video on its Telegram channel of Belousov telling a group of senior officers and officials that the measures would involve improving the "management of troops in interaction with... the administration of the Belgorod region, nominating accountable officials and allocating additional forces and means".
Belousov said the objective was ensuring "territorial integrity and protection of the population and infrastructure" in Russia’s border regions, and that the focus of the meeting today was Belgorod.
He said he would be "personally" seeing to it that the plan is implemented.Interfax news agency said the plan would also apply to Kursk and Bryansk regions. All three border Ukraine.
UN asks Russia for access to areas affected by cross-border attack by Ukrainepublished at 14:46 British Summer Time 15 August
14:46 BST 15 August
The United Nations Human Rights Office says it has asked Moscow for access to Russian border areas affected by a cross-border attack by Ukrainian forces.
A spokesperson for the body told the AFP news agency that the request for "authorities to facilitate access" was sent on Wednesday and includes the "Belgorod, Bryansk, and Kursk regions".
Kyiv says it intends to create "humanitarian corridors" in Kursk for civilian evacuation both towards Russia and Ukraine.
Not clear how many UK tanks being used in offensivepublished at 14:15 British Summer Time 15 August
14:15 BST 15 August
Jonathan Beale
Defence correspondent
British ministers and officials have repeatedly stated that it’s up to Ukraine to decide how it uses UK supplied weapons.
But questions about restrictions have heightened with Ukraine’s recent incursion inside Russia.
The Ministry of Defence says there’s been no change in policy, though it’s not giving any detail of what British supplied weapons are being used in this latest offensive.
However, a UK source confirmed to the BBC that British made Challenger tanks were among significant western armour now making up Ukraine's strike force.
It’s not clear how many, but the UK only gave Ukraine 14 of the tanks for last year’s less successful offensive in southern Ukraine, in which one was destroyed.
There is still an exception about the use of UK long range Storm Shadow missiles. Britain has still not given Ukraine permission to strike targets inside Russia, despite Ukrainian pressure.
Ukraine commander says military office set up in occupied territory in Russiapublished at 13:55 British Summer Time 15 August
13:55 BST 15 August
Vitaliy Shevchenko
Russia editor at BBC Monitoring
Ukraine's top commander Oleksandr Syrsky says "a militarycommandant's office" has been set up in Ukrainian-occupied Russian territory.
In a video posted on social media, he is seen telling ameeting chaired by President Zelensky: "To maintain law and order and meet the immediate needsof the population, a military commandant's office has been created in theterritories controlled [by Ukraine]. Maj-General Moskalyov has been appointedto lead it."
Syrsky also says Ukrainian troops are 35 km inside the Kurskregion, where they control 1,150 sq km of territory including 82 settlements.
“The situation is under control in general,” he told Zelensky.
What's happened so far today?published at 13:31 British Summer Time 15 August
13:31 BST 15 August
Image source, Reuters
Thismorning we've been bringing you developments in the Ukraine war followingconfirmation from the Ministry of Defence that Ukraine can use British weapons on Russian soil - with the exception oflong-range Storm Shadow missiles.
The government said this does not represent a change inpolicy.
Since then a UK source has confirmed to the BBC that Challenger 2 tanks have been used during Ukraine's Russian incursion. The UK had given Ukraine 14 such tanks in last year.
Meanwhile, the Ukraine air force said it downed 29 Russian drones overnight -adding that one person was killed and 13 injured.
According to state news agency TASS a federal-level emergency situation hasbeen declared for the border region Belgorod.
Moscow has said it is pushing Ukrainian troops back, with Russia's defence ministry claiming it has regained control of the settlement of Krupets in the Kursk region.
Tempo of Ukraine forces 'slowing' over the last couple of days - security expertpublished at 13:19 British Summer Time 15 August
13:19 BST 15 August
We've just heard from former Nato analyst and defence andsecurity expert at the University of Bath, Patrick Bury.
He says the incursion has met initial goals including increasingmorale among the Ukrainian army and the nation and "destabilising theregime in the short run".
"[The operation] has shown that Western arms can be usedinside Russia and there is no major escalation," he adds.
"That may start to raise questions about what are the nextsteps."
He continues to say that over the last few days the tempo of theUkrainian forces has been "slowing".
That could be for two reasons he explains - the Russians arestarting to stabilise the line and the second due to logistics - "at somepoint [the Ukrainians] need to resupply themselves".
At some point, Kyiv will have to decide how much land it wantsto hold, or whether it should fall back to more defensive lines further west,he adds.
Russia claims to have recaptured lost territory in Kurskpublished at 13:02 British Summer Time 15 August
13:02 BST 15 August
Russia's defence ministry claims it has regained control of the settlement of Krupets in the Kursk region.
The border region of Kursk has been the focus of Ukraine's surprise attack into Russia, which began 10 days ago.
In a statement, Russia's Ministry of Defence says the "destruction of the enemy" is complete and "control over the settlement of Krupets has been restored".
This comes as Ukraine claims to be advancing further into border regions as part of its offensive.
Federal-level emergency situation declared for Belgorodpublished at 12:36 British Summer Time 15 August
12:36 BST 15 August
Let's turn back to the situation on the ground.
Yesterday we reported that Belgorod was the second Russian region to declare a state of emergency. The region borders with Kursk where the Ukrainian incursion began last Tuesday.
State news agency TASS has reported today that a federal-level emergency situation has been declared for the region by the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations.
It followed the region's governor Vyacheslav Gladkov introducing a regional-level emergency situation. On Wednesday morning he said there had been 23 drone attacks in 24 hours.
We've got more on this here.
Western weapons yes – but not long-range missilespublished at 12:17 British Summer Time 15 August
12:17 BST 15 August
Frank Gardner
Security correspondent
Image source, UK MoD/Crown Copyright
Ukraine’slightning incursion into Russia has undoubtedly been boosted by the inclusionof Western weaponry.
German Marder and US Stryker armoured fighting vehiclesare known to have been used, as well as German-supplied combat engineeringequipment.
But the one weapon Ukraine says it really needs in this offensive -Britain’s Storm Shadow missile – it can’t.
Whitehall has given the green light for other kit to be used but not the long-range Storm Shadow inside Russia’sborders, for fear of escalation and how Moscow would respond.
"StormShadow is designed to penetrate bunkers or buildings before exploding," says BrigBen Barry at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).
"Targetscould include Command & Control nodes, airfield installations, hardenedaircraft shelters, ammo bunkers, such as those holding glide bombs, radar andair defence sites."
In other words, all the kind of long-range positions fromwhich Russia has been prosecuting its war against Ukraine and which Kyiv is nowlooking to take out in order to change the dynamics of this conflict in itsfavour.
UK confirmed donation of Challenger 2 tanks in 2023published at 12:05 British Summer Time 15 August
12:05 BST 15 August
It was in January 2023 that then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirmed the UK would send Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine.
Fourteen of the attack vehicles were donated with Downing Street at the time saying the move showed "the UK's ambition to intensify support".
Sunak said then that the tanks would help Ukrainian forces "push Russian troops back".
President Zelensky thanked the UK and said that the decision to send the tanks "will not only strengthen us on the battlefield, but also send the right signal to other partners".
The UK also trained Ukrainian forces to use them.
You can read our story from the time here.
What is the Challenger 2?published at 11:51 British Summer Time 15 August
11:51 BST 15 August
Earlier we learnt, via a source, that Challenger 2 tanks are being used inside Russia - we have some further details here on what they look like and their functionality.
The attack vehicle is more than 20 years old - built in the late 1990s.
Image source, BBC research, Getty Iamges