**Russian Forces Suffer Setback in Ukraine**
Russia’s efforts to clear Ukrainian forces from the Kursk Oblast have been costly. A unit of the Russian 810th Naval Infantry Brigade was reportedly encircled and destroyed by Ukrainian forces on Friday.
This is a significant blow to Russia’s counteroffensive in the region. President Putin has ordered the clearance of Ukrainian forces from Kursk before the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump, hoping for a frozen front line in future negotiations.
**Russian Unit Loses Hundreds of Vehicles and Troops**
The 810th Naval Infantry Brigade, which is supported by North Korean troops, has been particularly hard hit. Russian military bloggers have noted that the brigade is “bleeding” from daily ill-prepared assaults against Ukrainian defenses.
A critical intelligence failure led to devastating losses for the brigade. Officers incorrectly reported mine-free roads near Pogrebki village, leading to a massive assault that destroyed BTR-82 fighting vehicles and killed many marines.
**Ukraine Claims Significant Losses**
On November 7th and 8th, Ukraine claims to have destroyed 36 Russian vehicles and killed 100 marines. Despite these losses, the 810th continued similar attacks, but with minimal gains around Pogrebki.
“It helps Ukraine’s ongoing resistance that at least one key Russian brigade is relying on faulty intelligence and poor command decisions,” notes David Axe, a Forbes defense analyst.
**Russia Spends Significantly on Men and Material**
“Russia is advancing, but it’s also spending significant amounts of men and material in the process,” notes Emil Kastehelmi of the Black Bird Group. This has helped Ukraine to continue resisting Russian advances.
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