Ukraine’s Elite Brigade Likely in Action in Kursk Incursion

The 80th Air Assault Brigade, one of Ukraine’s better-equipped and fastest-moving units, is believed to be participating in the country’s ongoing incursion into Russia’s Kursk region that started on Tuesday.

As Forbes reported, a video circulating on social media on Thursday showed a T-64BV or T-80BV tank, a UR-77 mine-clearing vehicle, an IMR-2 engineering vehicle, plus Soviet-made BTR-80 and US-made Stryker armored personnel carriers – most cladded in anti-drone cages – rolling past a Ukrainian mortar crew.

The article said the 80th Air Assault Brigade is the only unit in Ukraine to operate “that mix of ex-Soviet and ex-American vehicles,” which indicated the brigade’s presence in the Kursk operation.

Another video circulating on social media allegedly showed Germany-provided Marder tracked fighting vehicles being targeted by Russian strikes in the Kursk region – the model supposedly only operated by Ukraine’s 80th Air Assault Brigade and its sister unit, the 82nd Air Assault Brigade.

Kyiv Post is unable to independently verify the claims.

German officials said on Thursday that Berlin has no issues with Kyiv using Germany-donated equipment in the Kursk incursions. 

However, if reports of the 80th Air Assault Brigade being involved in the Kursk incursion were true, it could mean that Ukraine has a more long-term strategic goal for the latest incursions as opposed to mere border raids seen in previous operations.

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Thus far, incursions into Russian territories have been carried out by units such as the “Russian Volunteer Corps,” the “Freedom of Russia Legion,” and the “Siberian Battalion,” who fight alongside Ukraine and are linked to Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR).

While Ukraine has yet to elaborate on the Kursk incursions, save for passive remarks made by top officials, commentators have been speculating on the motives of the daring offensive.

By potentially committing at least three Ukrainian brigades with up to 2,000 troops each – including the 22nd and 88th Mechanized Brigades and the 80th Air Assault Brigade, as reported by Forbes – it might indicate that Kyiv aims to grab more Russian territories than previous raids and potentially hold them for negotiations.

Alternatively, some speculated that the attack on Russia’s Kursk region, which was less fortified as Russian troops were concentrated in the neighboring Belgorod region and Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, was a ploy to divert Russian troops.

There were also unconfirmed reports that Ukrainian troops seized control of the Sudzha gas metering station in the Kursk region – the last Russian gas transit route to Europe through Ukraine.

At the time of publication, Ukraine is continuing its operation in the Kursk region with no signs of retreat.