On Thursday, September 12, Ukrainian sappers succeeded in breaching Russian defenses near the village of Novi Put, located approximately 30 kilometers west of a recent advance in the Kursk region. Initially perceived as a minor attack, the operation rapidly escalated into a significant threat for Russian forces.

Following the breakthrough, Ukrainian armored vehicles swiftly advanced towards the nearby town of Veseloe. By Saturday, Ukrainian forces had reached and effectively taken control of the southern outskirts of Vesoloye.

On Sunday, a Ukrainian fighter jet dropped a satellite-guided planning bomb on a Russian position within a building in the heart of Veseloe. The destruction was captured by a drone from the Ukrainian drone unit Khorne, which humorously posted about the event on social media with the message, "We all see you."

According to Forbes, the Russian garrison defending Veseloe includes many poorly trained young conscripts, who, by Kremlin policy, are not meant to engage in combat operations. The involvement of these inexperienced conscripts is believed to have contributed to the rapid progress of Ukrainian forces in the area.

The publication notes that if Moscow's response mirrors its reaction to a previous Ukrainian incursion in the Kursk region, there may be a need to deploy more experienced airborne forces to counter the Ukrainian advance.

While the Khorne unit has been identified in the conflict, it is unclear which other Ukrainian forces are engaged in the fighting for Veseloe. The presence of Turkish-made Kirpi armored trucks, used by Ukrainian marines, suggests that the 36th Marine Brigade, which has been active east of Kursk, might also be involved in this operation.