Elite Ukrainian Marine Battalion withdrawn from Sudzhansky district after losing half of its troops

The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) have withdrawn an elite marine battalion from the Sudzha district of Russia’s Kursk region after losing more than half of its personnel.

This was reported by TASS, citing security sources.

According to the agency’s source, the unit in question is the 501st Marine Battalion of the Ukrainian Navy, which has lost over 50% of its total strength.

“It is now being effectively reassembled at the 235th Inter-Service Training Center ‘Shyrokyi Lan’ in Mykolaiv region. However, due to the large number of missing and wounded, the battalion is being replenished on a residual basis,” the source said.

The source emphasized that this is confirmed by information from closed AFU channels and chats.

Earlier, reports emerged of a missile strike targeting Ukrainian soldiers from the 47th Separate Mechanized Brigade, who had taken shelter at the “Miratorg” pig farm near the village of Nikolskiy, Kursk region.

Footage circulating online shows several powerful explosions on the farm’s premises. According to unconfirmed reports, up to 65 Ukrainian troops were killed in the attack.

In early August 2024, Ukraine launched an incursion into Russia’s Kursk region, shelling the border town of Sudzhaand breaching the state border, capturing several Russian settlements.

As a result, residents of the occupied areas were forced to flee their homes.

According to Russia’s Ministry of Defense, as of February 13, Ukraine has lost more than 60,210 troops and over 5,000 pieces of equipment, including Western-supplied vehicles, since the beginning of the invasion.