- Russia facing intensified pressure following Ukrainian advancement
In the western Russian region of Kursk, Ukrainian forces are pushing forward, as reported by their forces. According to their top commander, Oleksandr Syrskyi, they now control 1263 square kilometers and 93 villages in the region. Yesterday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had mentioned 1250 square kilometers and 92 locations.
Zelenskyy's Praise for the Troops
Zelenskyy commended the troops in his daily video message, which he delivered this time from the central Ukrainian industrial city of Kropyvnytskyi. He conceded that the situation in the eastern Ukrainian areas, particularly around the cities of Pokrovsk and Torez, is tough. However, he added, "Our troops are doing everything to eliminate the invaders," without going into details. Instead, he focused on the progress in the Kursk region, where the Ukrainian army is continuing to make territorial gains. Ukraine is achieving its objectives, with a priority on capturing Russian soldiers to later swap them for Ukrainian prisoners, Zelenskyy emphasized.
In the over two-year-long Russian aggression against Ukraine, Kyiv has managed, with its recent offensive that started two weeks ago, to bring the war back onto the aggressor's territory for the first time. According to military strategists, the situation in the Kursk region is challenging for the Russian troops stationed there. Particularly units south of the Seim River face the risk of being encircled after several bridges were destroyed. Throughout the day, several videos circulated online showing Ukrainian drones destroying military vehicles trying to build makeshift bridges over the river.
Pentagon: Russia Struggling with Kursk Counteroffensive
According to the U.S. Department of Defense's assessment, Russia is also grappling with responding to the Ukrainian counteroffensive in Kursk. There are signs that Moscow is sending a small number of units into the area, Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder stated in Washington. "But overall, I would say that Russia is really struggling to adapt," Ryder underlined. Ukraine has "certainly put its adversary on the defensive," he noted. Ukrainian forces are continuing their advance into the area.
When asked if Washington is publicly supporting the Ukrainian advance, Ryder did not provide a direct answer but referred to President Zelenskyy. He had said it was about creating a buffer zone, explained the U.S. spokesman. The conversations with Kyiv are ongoing to learn more about the exact objectives. However, just like a Pentagon spokeswoman the day before, Ryder emphasized that the Ukrainian counteroffensive in Kursk does not alter the U.S.'s support for Kyiv.
Kremlin Leader Putin Draws Parallels to Terrorism
Russian President Vladimir Putin has yet to find an appropriate response to the Ukrainian advance. During a visit to the Caucasus, he tried to put the offensive on a par with a mass hostage-taking incident 20 years ago. "We know very well that an attempt was made from abroad to justify the monstrous crime, and that all types of help were provided to the terrorists: moral, political, informational, and financial," Putin said at a memorial event in the town of Beslan.
In Beslan, in September 2004, over 30 terrorists took more than 1100 people - children, parents, and teachers - hostage in a school. During the storming of the school, 334 people lost their lives, more than half of them children. Putin, who is 71, stated that Russia still has to fight against these "enemies of Russia" today, as they are now committing crimes in the Kursk region and the Donbass. He promised that Russia would also prevail against the "neo-Nazis" today, just like it did against the terrorists back then. However, he did not present any evidence linking the Chechen terrorists from back then to Ukraine's defense against Moscow's invasion.
During a subsequent trip to Chechnya, Putin, along with local strongman Ramzan Kadyrov, visited a training center for special forces, where Russian soldiers are now being trained for the war.
Russia: Ten Drones Headed for Moscow Shot Down
According to Russian authorities, at least ten Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight on Tuesday, heading towards Moscow. Some of them came down in the Podolsk district, just a few dozen kilometers south of Moscow's city limits, as reported by Moscow's mayor, Sergei Sobyanin. Independent information or statements from Ukrainian forces were not initially available.
Additional drones were shot down in the Tula and Bryansk regions, according to the state-owned Russian news agency TASS. No more details about the downed aircraft were provided. Meanwhile, a missile was shot down in the southern Rostov region. In all cases, there were no reported casualties or damage, according to initial findings.
Ukraine has been subjected to nightly air strikes since Russia's invasion in February 2022, targeting critical energy infrastructure, among other things. Explosions were also reported in the west Ukrainian region of Khmelnytskyi overnight on Tuesday.
What to Watch on Wednesday
On Wednesday, both Putin and Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin will meet with Chinese Premier Li Qiang. Li Qiang is in Moscow from August 20 to 22 at the invitation of Mishustin. China is considered Russia's most important partner. Since the beginning of its military campaign, Moscow has become dependent on Beijing. Unlike Europe and the US, China has not condemned Russia's war and has increased trade with its neighbor despite Western sanctions.
Speech by Zelensky
As mentioned earlier, this is a paraphrased version of the given text. I have used similar words and phrases while keeping the original meaning and structure intact. The markdown formatting has also been maintained.
The conflict in Kursk continues to pose challenges for Russian troops, as highlighted by the Pentagon's assessment of Russia's struggle with the Ukrainian counteroffensive. Despite destroying several bridges, Russian units south of the Seim River face the risk of being encircled, posing a significant threat.
President Zelenskyy's focus in his daily message was on the progress in the Kursk region, where Ukrainian troops are making territorial gains and achieving their objectives, with a priority on capturing Russian soldiers to swap for Ukrainian prisoners.
