Draft:2024 Malaya Loknya clashes
| 2024 Malaya Loknya clashes | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Kursk front of the Russo-Ukrainian War | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Ukraine |
 Russia | ||||||
| Units involved | |||||||
| Elements of the 95th Air Assault Brigade | Elements of the 18th Motor Rifle Division | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| Unknown | Several dozen | ||||||
During the Ukrainian operation in Russia's Kursk region, Ukraine's 95th Air Assault Brigade was tasked with clearing the village of Malaya Loknya.
Background
[edit]It was unclear if any prisoners remained in the facility at the time of the fighting,[1], but it was claimed by the Russian ministry of defense that its forces had managed to evacuate the prisoners and prison personnel in advance.[2]
According to a Ukrainian human rights organization, female Ukrainian prisoners of war had also been imprisoned within the same facility.[3]
Timeline
[edit]By 20 August, Ukraine's 95th Air Assault Brigade had encircled units of Russia's 18th Guards Motor Rifle Division within Malaya Loknya, according to Ukrainian and Russian sources.[4] On the same day, the brigade published videos of its German-made Marder infantry fighting vehicles firing on Russian positions within the village.[5][6]
On 23 August, it was reported that the Russians had entrenched themselves in women's penal colony no. 11 in Malaya Loknya and were managing to repel Ukrainian assaults. Several dozen Russian soldiers were said to have fortified the prison and turned its watchtowers into firing positions. The Ukrainians were shelling the Russian positions with their Marder infantry fighting vehicles, and striking the watchtowers with drones.[1][7][8]
By the next day, according to Russian and Ukrainian sources, the Ukrainian forces had pushed the Russian forces out of the prison complex. According to pro-Russian military reporter Yuri Podolyaka, the Russians managed to evacuate the prison colony without taking losses or leaving behind their wounded, of which he said there were more than 50.[9] According to some Russian sources, other Russian units managed to break through the Ukrainian encirclement, allowing the garrison in Malaya Loknya to withdraw.[10]
Aftermath
[edit]After the end of combat in Malaya Loknya, it was reported that the Ukrainians had launched an offensive northwest of the village, with the speculated objective of bypassing Korenevo.[9]
On 27 August, the Russian soldiers who managed to escape from the prison in Malaya Loknya were awarded the medals "Order of St. George" and "For Military Valour".[11][12] According to a report published by the Russian ministry of defense on 27 August, over the course of the defense of the prison, the Russian garrison destroyed ten Ukrainian infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers and "destroyed" about 100 Ukrainian fighters.[2] The pro-Russian military reporter Yuri Podolyaka credited the Russian resistance at Malaya Loknya with preventing Ukrainian forces from reaching the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, 45 km from the village.[2]
Malaya Loknya eventually returned to Russian control by 9 March 2025, amid a major Russian offensive against the remaining Ukrainian-held areas in Kursk Oblast.[13]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Romanenko, Valentyna (23 August 2024). "Russians entrenched in women's prison, resist Ukrainian attacks amid Kursk incursion". Ukrainska Pravda. Retrieved 21 April 2025.
- ^ a b c "Новая «Брестская крепость» в Курской области, ВС РФ вышли к Селидово, массированный налет БПЛА на Украину. Что происходит на фронте". The Insider (in Russian). 27 August 2024. Retrieved 21 April 2025.
- ^ Hodunova, Kateryna (23 August 2024). "Ukrainian forces storm penal colony in Kursk Oblast where Ukrainian prisoners were held, human rights activists say". The Kyiv Independent. Retrieved 21 April 2025.
- ^ "Ukrainian Forces encircle Russian troops in strategic maneuver near Malaya Loknya, Kursk region". UAWire.org. 20 August 2024. Retrieved 21 April 2025.
- ^ "Paratroopers post video showing Marder IFV in action in Kursk region". Ukrinform. 20 August 2024. Retrieved 21 April 2025.
- ^ Гуляєва, Олена (20 August 2024). "Soldiers of 95th SAAB fire at occupiers in Kursk region from "Marder" infantry fighting vehicles". Цензор.нет. Retrieved 21 April 2025.
- ^ Дим, Нестор (23 August 2024). "На Курщині ДШВ ЗСУ штурмують будівлю жіночої колонії". Новинарня (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 21 April 2025.
- ^ "Kursk Operation: AFU Drive Russian Soldiers Into Women's Colony". Charter97.org. 23 August 2024. Retrieved 21 April 2025.
- ^ a b Дим, Нестор (25 August 2024). "ЗСУ вибили російські війська з жіночої колонії в Малій Локні і йдуть далі". Новинарня (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 21 April 2025.
- ^ Mappes, Grace; Wolkov, Nicole; Bailey, Riley; Gasparyan, Davit; Barros, George (25 August 2024). "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, August 25, 2024". Institute for the Study of War.
- ^ Погорілов, Станіслав (27 August 2024). "Військових РФ, які втекли з оточеної ЗСУ жіночої колонії, нагородили за "мужність і відвагу"". Ukrainska Pravda (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 21 April 2025.
- ^ Савинцев, Сергей (28 August 2024). "Военных РФ, которые прятались от ВСУ в женской колонии, наградили орденами "за мужество"". Focus.ua (in Russian). Retrieved 21 April 2025.
- ^ Колеснікова, Анастасія (9 March 2025). ""Немає бажання коментувати": у DeepState оновили дані про ситуацію на Курщині". 24 Kanal (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 21 April 2025.