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The situation of the fierce battle between Russia and Ukraine is changing rapidly, and the battlefield has suddenly moved into Russian territory. On August 10, local time, the Russian Satellite News Agency reported that the Russian Ministry of Defense said that a Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber used an ODAB-500 bomb to attack the Ukrainian army's active forces and equipment in the border area of ​​Kursk Oblast in the early morning of the 10th. The ODAB-500 bomb is commonly known as a "thermobaric bomb". After it is activated, it first releases an explosive liquid component that forms an aerosol cloud, and then is detonated in large quantities.

Just as Ukraine launched its largest ground offensive on Russian territory, the United States suddenly announced a major move.On August 9 local time, the White House announced that the United States will provide Ukraine with an additional $125 million worth of weapons to assist its military operations against Russia, including much-needed air defense capabilities, radars to detect and counter enemy artillery, and anti-tank weapons.

Regarding Ukraine's massive attack on Russia, US media commented that Ukraine's decision to squeeze out a large amount of resources from its limited military resources to cross the border into Russia means that Ukraine is either desperate or encouraged. This may indicate that the war has entered a new stage.

A large number of Ukrainian troops launched a surprise attack on Russia's Kursk Oblast on August 6 local time. This was the largest attack by the Ukrainian army on the Russian mainland since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war in February 2022.

On the evening of August 7th local time, Smirnov, acting governor of Kursk Oblast in southern Russia, announced that due to the difficult combat situation in the border areas of the state, Kursk Oblast will enter a state of emergency from that day on.

At present, fierce fighting is still going on. The mayor of Kursk, Russia, said in the early morning of the 11th that the debris of an intercepted Ukrainian missile hit a local residential building and caused a fire, injuring 13 people. So far, no deaths have been reported.

The Russian Defense Ministry said it had deployed rocket launchers, artillery, tanks and heavy trucks to bolster defenses in the area, according to Russian state media.

Russia said about 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers and more than 20 armored vehicles and tanks were involved in the initial attack, but Russia later destroyed more equipment, the report said.

The report said that Russia did not provide details about the Ukrainian offensive, but said on the 9th that it had attacked Ukrainian positions on the western edge of the town of Suja. Suja is about 8 kilometers from the Russian-Ukrainian border and seems to be the focus of Kiev's offensive.

On August 10, local time, the Russian Satellite News Agency reported that the Russian Ministry of Defense said that a Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber used ODAB-500 bombs to attack the Ukrainian army's manpower and equipment in the border area of ​​Kursk Oblast in the early morning of the 10th.

The Russian Defense Ministry reportedly said: "A Su-34 fighter-bomber of the Aerospace Forces struck at night the concentration of Ukrainian forces and military equipment in the border area of ​​Kursk Oblast."

The Russian Defense Ministry said that the ODAB-500 aerial bomb with a universal glide and correction module was used to hit the pre-reconnaissance target.

"After receiving confirmation from intelligence officers that the target had been destroyed, the crew returned safely to the departure airport," the ministry added.

The report said that the Russian Ministry of Defense also released a video showing the Su-34 fighter taking off, dropping bombs and hitting the target, and returning to the airport.

The ODAB-500 bomb is commonly known as a "thermobaric bomb". According to a previous report by the Russian Satellite News Agency, it is a two-stroke bomb. After it is activated, it first releases an explosive liquid component that forms an aerosol cloud, and then is detonated in large quantities. This produces a high-temperature explosion with a strong shock wave, which will "pour" into trenches, bunkers and other fortifications, thereby destroying the enemy. Each Su-34 fighter can carry four of these bombs.

Just as Ukraine launched its largest ground offensive on Russian territory, the United States suddenly announced a major move.

On August 9 local time, the Associated Press reported that the White House announced that day that the United States will provide Ukraine with an additional $125 million worth of weapons to assist its military operations against Russia, including much-needed air defense capabilities, radars to detect and counter enemy artillery, and anti-tank weapons.

John Kirby, strategic communications coordinator for the White House National Security Council, said Ukraine's use of U.S.-supplied weapons in its offensive was consistent with U.S. government policy.

According to reports, the weapons in the latest US military aid plan to Ukraine will be drawn from the existing US arms inventory, including Stinger surface-to-air missiles, 155mm and 105mm caliber artillery shells, HIMARS rocket launcher ammunition and vehicles, etc. This brings the total US aid to Ukraine since 2022 to US$55.6 billion (about RMB 401.5 billion).

Not long ago, the EU also announced a major aid plan for Ukraine. According to CCTV News Client, on August 6 local time, Hungary, the rotating presidency of the EU Council, announced that with the completion of the written procedures, the Council passed an implementation decision on the same day, approving 4.2 billion euros in aid to Ukraine. This decision supports Ukraine's macro-financial stability and the operation of public administration.

At the end of July this year, Bloomberg News quoted sources as saying that the first batch of F-16 fighter jets provided by NATO countries had arrived in Ukraine.

The report said that the source did not disclose the specific number of these fighter jets or the countries providing them, only saying that the number of these fighter jets was "not large."

The British Daily Telegraph reportedly said that Ukrainian pilots have begun flying F-16 fighter jets.

CNN recently published an article titled "Why Ukrainian generals risked entering Russian territory". It pointed out that Ukraine's decision to squeeze out a large amount of resources from its limited military resources to cross the border into Russia means that Ukraine is either desperate or encouraged. This may indicate that the war has entered a new stage.

CNN commented that the novelty of this incident lies in that, at least from Russia's perspective, this is an attack launched by the Ukrainian regular army against Russia, and it is also a rare gamble by the Ukrainian top leaders. In the past 18 months, most of the actions of the Ukrainian top leaders have been criticized as too slow and conservative.

Ukraine's move comes as Western-supplied F-16 fighter jets are seen on the front lines, potentially undermining Russian air superiority. But ammunition remains a problem for Kiev.

The article published by CNN stated, "So why is Ukraine taking such a high-risk move now? If we look beyond the horizon, we will see other goals. Discussions about peace talks have begun, the first time since the war. Russia may be invited to the next peace conference. Ukrainians who favor negotiations are in the minority, but the proportion is gradually increasing. The possibility of Trump's election as US president is looming over Kiev."

CNN said that since the prospect of a negotiated solution is no longer so far away, both sides will strive to gain their battlefield advantage before sitting down at the negotiating table. It is not clear whether Ukraine entered Kursk for this motive or just to cause damage to the enemy's weak points.

But it marks a rare and significant gamble by Kiev with limited resources, and could signal Ukraine’s belief that bigger changes are coming.