By Patrick Lancaster
In my latest frontline report from the Kursk region of Russia, I take you deep into a recently abandoned Ukrainian military position that was overtaken just days before by Russian forces. This unfiltered look from the battlefield shows not only the extent of the fighting, but also reveals captured US-supplied weapons, Ukrainian military infrastructure, and tragically — dead civilians left behind in surrounding villages.
The Former Ukrainian Stronghold in Kursk
We’re on the ground with Russian soldiers in what was a heavily fortified Ukrainian combat position. These trenches and dugouts, now empty of their original defenders, still bear the markings of recent warfare — spent shell casings, fortified mortar pits, and hastily disguised firing positions.
“We are in a former Ukraine military position in the Kursk region of Russia… Ukrainian forces were just pushed out days ago.”
Throughout the area, Russian soldiers and I uncover boxes of ammunition, mortars, and equipment left behind. Many of these are marked in English — clearly US-made — still sealed in some cases, and reportedly used against Russian troops.
“You deliver them shells, and then they kill our guys with those — whole boxes… All American!”
From linked 7.62mm NATO rounds to unopened crates of munitions, the report captures direct evidence of Western-supplied weaponry falling into Russian hands.
Civilians Killed in Crossfire
But the devastation doesn’t stop at military installations.
In the nearby Cherkasskoye Porechnoye settlement in the Sudzha district, we find a chilling scene: civilians who were killed during the fighting, still lying under rubble. Local authorities and Russian troops report being overwhelmed by the number of bodies, many of which remain unrecovered.
“Most of the civilians who were killed, we took away. But we are not coping with them all — there are too many.”
“This man is a civilian… He’s still here because they cannot take him away yet.”
The tragedy of civilians caught between artillery, drone attacks, and crossfire is a grim reminder of how war affects everyone — not just soldiers.
Booby Traps, Drones & Landmines
While filming, I came within inches of stepping on a mine, reportedly dropped by a drone. The ground was littered with these devices — small, hidden, and lethal.
“I almost stepped on a landmine that was dropped from a drone… That was a close one!”
What started as an exploration of a captured position quickly turned into a hazardous trek through a minefield, where dozens of anti-personnel devices lay hidden in the grass. It’s a deadly reminder that the battlefield doesn’t end when the shooting stops.
Captured Gear & Ongoing Dangers
From captured Ukrainian vehicles and mortarman pits to machine guns and sealed crates of American ammunition, the Russian forces are now cataloging what was left behind.
“Everything is really convenient… All your weapons are very good.” a soldier said to me
The soldiers show me how quickly these systems can be adapted and redeployed, further underlining the flow of Western equipment into this war — and the unintended consequences of its capture.
Final Thoughts
This report isn’t just about gear and positions. It’s about death, destruction, and the thin line between survival and tragedy. From nearly stepping on a mine to witnessing the aftermath of civilian deaths, this mission was one of the most intense I’ve filmed yet.
I’m not embedded with any government or outlet. I’m an independent journalist, here to document what’s really happening, no matter how uncomfortable or controversial. You deserve to see the truth from the front — not filtered or censored.
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