Days after Ukraine initiated a surprise military operation into Russia’s Kursk border region, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has finally addressed the ongoing military actions, indirectly admitting to the strategy of “pushing the war out into the aggressor’s territory.”
Zelenskyy made this comment during his late Saturday night address.
Ukraine’s incursion into Russia has now entered its sixth day on Sunday, marking the largest attack since Moscow’s full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022. This operation is unprecedented due to the involvement of Ukrainian military units on Russian soil, catching Moscow off guard and causing embarrassment to Russian military leadership.
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The Russian Defense Ministry reported engagement between its forces and Ukrainian troops in Tolpino, Zhuravli, and Obshchy Kolodez, with Tolpino being 15 miles from the Ukrainian border, as per the official Tass news agency.
The evacuation of civilians residing in Russia’s border areas with Ukraine is ongoing, with Russian state television showing evacuees at a tent camp in Kursk. Over 20 temporary accommodation centers have been established in the region according to a report by RTR.
The exact objectives of the operation are still unclear, with Ukrainian military officials maintaining secrecy to ensure its success. Military experts suggest the operation may aim to divert Russian reserves from the intense fighting in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, while a presidential advisor implied it could bolster Kyiv’s position in potential negotiations with Russia.
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However, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova claimed on Sunday that Ukraine is aware that the recent attacks have no tactical value militarily.
“The Kyiv regime is persisting in its terrorist actions solely to intimidate the peaceful population of Russia,” she added.
