- Zelenskyy explains the reason for the Ukrainian advance on Russian territory
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has described the offensive of his troops across the border into the Russian region of Kursk as a security measure. The areas captured there are regions from which Russia's forces have repeatedly attacked the Ukrainian region of Sumy. Around 2,100 attacks have been registered there since early June alone. "That's why our operations are purely a security issue for Ukraine, to liberate the border from the Russian military," Zelenskyy said in his evening video address.
Zelenskyy said Kursk would become a symbol of the beginning and end of Russian President Vladimir Putin's reign, referring to the disaster of the sinking of the most modern Russian nuclear submarine "Kursk" in August 2000, which had 118 crew members on board. "Twenty-four years ago, there was the Kursk catastrophe, which marked the symbolic beginning of his rule; now we see the end of it – and it's Kursk again."
Ukrainian Commander Reports Territorial Gains
The Ukrainian forces have made significant territorial gains in their push onto Russian territory, according to their own reports. Around 1,000 square kilometers are already under Ukrainian control, said Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi in a meeting of the Stava, the General Staff in Kyiv. The beginning of the meeting and Syrskyi's words were broadcast by Zelenskyy on the X platform.
Previously, the acting governor of the Kursk region had reported territorial losses. According to his statements, Ukrainian troops advanced about 12 kilometers on a front of 40 kilometers, which corresponds to approximately half of the square kilometer figure given by Syrskyi. The Russian military blog "Rybar" spoke of heavy fighting and a partly unclear situation. The statements of both sides could not initially be verified independently.
Zelenskyy instructed the Ukrainian security services and the armed forces to develop a humanitarian plan for the area of operations in western Russia. According to the Russian interpretation, not all civilians have been evacuated from the combat zone.
Russia Complains About Use of Western Weapons
The Russian military accused Ukraine of using heavy weapons from Western deliveries in the fight for the Kursk region. In addition to artillery and rocket launchers, armored vehicles that Kyiv has received from Western partners are also being used on the Ukrainian side. However, there are no restrictions on the use of these weapons for the Ukrainian armed forces from their Western partners.
Zelenskyy once again emphasized the importance of the permission he hopes for to use the long-range weapons supplied by the West against targets in Russia. "We need the appropriate permissions from our partners for the use of long-range weapons," Zelenskyy stressed. "It's only fair to destroy the Russian terrorists where they are, where they start their attacks – Russian military airfields, Russian logistics." Russia must be forced to make peace if Kremlin chief Putin is so eager to continue fighting.
Kyiv has been seeking permission to use, for example, long-range missiles against targets in Russia for weeks. So far, the Ukrainian armed forces can only use drones of their own production for such attacks – with significantly less explosive power.
Beyond the conflict around the western Russian region of Kursk, Russian forces have continued their attacks around the Donbass in eastern Ukraine. Once again, they attempted to break through Ukrainian positions around Torez and Pokrovsk, as reported in the evening situation report by the General Staff in Kyiv. In Torez, Russian ground troops were also supported by a dozen air strikes.
Heavy fighting took place between Russian attackers and Ukrainian defenders around Pokrovsk. In total, around 25 advances by Russian units were registered throughout the day, most of which were repelled. "Enemy losses are still being clarified," the General Staff stated. According to Russian reports, several Ukrainian settlements were captured during the fighting. These claims could not be independently verified.
The territorial gains made by Ukrainian forces in their push towards Kursk bordering Russia directly impact the security of the Ukrainian region of Sumy, which has been frequently attacked by Russia's forces. The Ukrainian region of Sumy has witnessed over 2,100 attacks since early June alone.
Given the strategic importance of Sumy, the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, views the operations in Kursk as a necessary measure to secure the border and liberate it from Russian military presence.
