- Zelensky defends Ukraine's push into Russia
After the advance of Ukrainian troops in the Russian border region of Kursk, there are now initial possible explanations from Kyiv for the surprise attack. "Russia brought the war to our land and should feel what it has done," said President Volodymyr Zelensky in his evening video address from Kyiv. Without mentioning the ongoing battles of Ukrainian soldiers on Russian territory in the Kursk area since Tuesday, Russian sources later reported a large-scale Ukrainian drone attack on the region of Lipetsk south of Moscow.
An advisor to Zelensky's office, Mykhailo Podolyak, pointed to the international reaction to the Ukrainian attack on the Kursk region. The reaction was "absolutely calm, balanced, and objective" and based on "the spirit of international law" and "the principles of conducting a defensive war," Podolyak said in a Telegram message. Previously, for example, the EU had stated that Ukraine has the right to attack the territory of the aggressor in its defensive campaign against the Russian invasion.
There were also reports of renewed attacks on Russian territory overnight into Friday. In addition to Kursk, the border regions of Belgorod, Bryansk, and the Lipetsk region south of Moscow were affected. There were also numerous drone attacks in Ukraine.
Drone Attacks on Russia
"Lipetsk is under a massive drone attack," the governor of the region, Igor Artamonov, was quoted by the Russian state agency TASS as saying. "Air defense is working against it," it said on his Telegram page. A power plant was damaged by the crash of a drone, causing power outages. There was also an "explosion of hazardous materials" away from civilian infrastructure.
There were also reports of strong explosions and fires in the Russian town of Rylsk in the Kursk area, according to the Ukrainian news portal "Kyiv Independent" citing pro-Russian Telegram channels. The cause of the explosions is still unclear. The reports from Russian authorities could not be independently confirmed. There was no official confirmation from Ukraine of the attacks.
Advisor in Kyiv: Russia is a legitimate target
"The impossible has become possible, and the mythical Russian brutality and excess have now turned against Russia itself," Podolyak said on Thursday about the situation in Kursk. A large part of the international community now considers Russia a legitimate target for any operations and weapons. Ukraine is now fighting not only with the occupying army but also successfully against historically strong pro-Russian sympathies and against fears in the West, he said.
Ukraine continues to emphasize that Russia is a defeatable enemy and wants to show with this first incursion of a foreign army since the end of World War II that the country is vulnerable. Podolyak had previously explained in media reports in Kyiv that the battles are intended to strengthen Ukraine's negotiating position. However, it remains unclear whether Ukraine will be successful in the Kursk region.
"Ukrainians can achieve their goals," said Zelensky in his video message. He had informed himself from the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi, about the situation in the war zone. He did not mention details but emphasized that the results were what the country needed at the moment. Previously, Syrskyi had published a photo on social networks that is said to show him in the deployment area - presumably in Sumy on the border, from where Ukrainian soldiers have penetrated into the Russian region of Kursk.
The fighting between Russian and Ukrainian soldiers in the Kursk region has entered its fourth day. According to Russian military bloggers, the Ukrainians have partly consolidated their positions, including in the border town of Sudzha. There have been reports of Ukrainian military helicopters entering the area to deliver supplies and evacuate the wounded.
The bloggers spoke of a very difficult situation but also reported, with initially unconfirmed photos and videos, about the arrival of numerous combat units, which means that active counterattacks are now beginning. Russian Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov had announced the destruction of Ukrainian troop units.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had described the attack as a provocation by Ukraine. According to Russian military reports, hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers have already been killed and wounded, and dozens of tanks and other military equipment have been destroyed. These figures are not independently verifiable.
More than 60 injured civilians, according to ministry
According to the Russian Ministry of Health, the number of injured civilians has continued to rise, reaching 66 since the start of the invasion. The number of deaths was given as five. Russian President Putin was informed about the situation in a video conference by the acting governor of Kursk, Alexei Smirnov. He ordered the payment of 10,000 rubles in immediate aid to those in need - equivalent to around 100 euros.
Thousands of people fled from the border villages, where many houses were destroyed by shelling, according to official reports. Many found shelter in emergency shelters or with relatives and friends. The situation remained tense.
Belgorod region reports shelling again
The bordering Russian region of Belgorod also reported shelling from the Ukrainian side, including with drones. The Russian air defense shot down some targets, said Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov. A woman and a man were injured, and several apartments and buildings were damaged. According to Gladkov's statement, there were also explosions in the city, with four cars catching fire.
The city of Shebekino was also shelled by Ukrainian forces, said Gladkov. A man was taken to a hospital with injuries. There were damages to ten houses, including broken windows, facades, roofs, and fences.
Governor: People in Belgorod concerned
The Belgorod region has not been at peace since last year when fighters from the Ukrainian side broke through. Unlike in Kursk, where regular troops from Kyiv are in action for the first time, volunteer units with Russians fighting on the side of Ukrainian troops claimed responsibility for the incursion into the Belgorod region last year.
Gladkov met with citizens who had lost their property due to the shelling at the time. Many people are still waiting for compensation, he said.
Regions and Putin are under particular pressure to act, having repeatedly promised to ensure the safety of their people. Many feel abandoned. "People are naturally very worried about what will happen to their homes, where they will live and work in the future, and when they will receive the key to a new apartment," Gladkow said. These issues should be resolved quickly.
Russia began its war against Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Even in border regions, Russians are increasingly feeling the consequences of the war. The damage is often incomparable to the devastating destruction and the many deaths and injuries on the Ukrainian side due to Russian attacks.
The Commission, in adherence to Article 11 (2), may adopt the necessary implementing acts to enforce the consequences of the Ukrainian actions in the Kursk region. Following these incidents, there have been calls within the international community for potential sanctions against Russia, highlighting its status as a legitimate target.
