The village is 20 miles west of the main Ukrainian salient in Russia’s Kursk Oblast. Six weeks ago, a powerful Ukrainian force—around a dozen battalions from eight or so experienced brigades—invaded Kursk and quickly gained control of 400 square miles of Russian soil.

Russia’s initial response appeared muted as Vladimir Putin ’s interest remained trained on an offensive towards the eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region despite Kyiv’s hopes that their Kursk incursion would force Moscow to relocate troops away from that fight in the east.

A Ukrainian ace fighter pilot is at the center of the action once again, destroying bridge crossings in Russia's Kursk region. The goal is to block Russian forces from driving west and assaulting Ukrainian infantry units.