Ukraine says its forces are advancing further into the Russian region of Kursk. A week ago, Ukrainian troops launched cross-border attacks on Russia, capturing Russian soldiers and destroying a Russian fighter jet.
On Wednesday, Ukrainian President Zelensky stated that since the start of the operation, Ukrainian troops have advanced 1 to 2 kilometers into the southern Kursk region of Russia. Ukraine claims to have gained control of about 1,000 square kilometers (386 square miles) of Russian territory since the attacks began.
Zelensky mentioned during a video call with Ukraine’s military commander Oleksandr Syrskyi on Wednesday, “We have advanced 1 to 2 kilometers in the Kursk region, and from today, we have advanced 1 to 2 kilometers in various areas.”
He also disclosed that 100 Russian soldiers have been captured, which will hasten the return of Ukrainian captives.
Earlier, a video released by AFP showed a scene at a border crossing between Sumy in Ukraine and the Kursk region of Russia, where a Ukrainian truck drove away carrying blindfolded men dressed in Russian military attire.
An unnamed Ukrainian security source informed Reuters on Wednesday that Ukraine had launched its most extensive drone attack to date on four Russian military airfields, aiming to disrupt Russia’s ability to use glide bombs for strikes on Ukraine.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces General Staff issued a statement on Wednesday mentioning that the Ukrainian Air Force destroyed a Russian SU-34 fighter-bomber in the Kursk region late on Tuesday.
Ukrainian Supreme Commander Oleksandr Syrskyi stated that Sudzha in Russia is a crucial natural gas transit point from Russia through Ukraine to Europe and is now fully under Ukrainian control. Gas supplies were still flowing on Wednesday.
This marks a significant strategic shift for Ukraine and the first time foreign troops have entered Russian territory since World War II.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported that 117 Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight within Russian territory, mainly in the Kursk, Voronezh, Belgorod, and Nizhny Novgorod regions. They also claimed that Ukrainian missiles were intercepted and showed footage of a Sukhoi Su-34 bomber attacking Ukrainian positions in the Kursk region.
Russia later stated that they repelled a series of Ukrainian attacks in the Kursk region, with pro-Russian war bloggers indicating the front line has stabilized.
The Russian National Guard is bolstering security at the Kursk nuclear power plant, situated just 35 kilometers (22 miles) from the combat zone.
Meanwhile, following renewed attacks by Ukrainian forces, the Belgorod region on the Russian border declared a state of emergency on Wednesday.
Governor of Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, shared in a video message on Telegram on Wednesday that the situation in Belgorod remains extremely difficult and tense.
Gladkov mentioned that local authorities are urging the Russian government to declare a federal emergency. He added that two locations in Belgorod were targeted by Ukrainian drones, resulting in damaged residences but no casualties.
Russian state TV reported that Russian forces are reversing the Ukrainian military’s advances, airing footage of successful assaults on Ukrainian positions and extensively covering the evacuation of Russian civilians from border areas.
Currently, nearly 200,000 Russians have been evacuated from border regions. This area near the site where the Soviet Red Army defeated the Nazis in 1943 during one of the largest tank battles in history.
Ukraine’s attacks within Russian territory have significantly altered the narrative of this ongoing two-and-a-half-year conflict. Since Ukraine’s unsuccessful counteroffensive in 2023 against Russian forces, Russia had been advancing in eastern Ukraine.
U.S. President Biden commented that American officials are closely monitoring the Russian-Ukrainian invasion and stated that the invasion has put Putin in a real bind.
The White House mentioned that Ukraine did not notify the U.S. of the invasion beforehand, and the U.S. was not involved. Russian officials implied that Ukraine’s Western supporters must have been aware of the attack.
“They were undoubtedly involved,” Russian lawmaker Maria Butina told Reuters. “When they claim they didn’t know anything and shift all the blame onto Ukraine, the situation looks even worse.”
Russian Foreign Ministry envoy Rodion Miroshnik said at a briefing on Wednesday that Russia would suspend negotiations with Ukraine indefinitely.
Putin stated on Monday that Ukraine’s move was to bolster its negotiating position for potential peace talks. However, he questioned the purpose of engaging in talks with Ukraine.
Russian officials suggested that Ukraine is trying to demonstrate to its Western backers that Ukrainian forces can still launch large-scale military operations due to increasing pressure on both sides, pushing for negotiations to end the largest conflict in Europe since World War II.
Peace talks between the warring parties have remained fruitless since the start of the war in February 2022.
Zelensky stated that the attack aimed to pressure Russian troops and restore justice following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
This incursion poses risks for Ukraine as deploying troops into Russian territory could expose other parts of the domestic frontline. Russia currently controls 18% of Ukrainian territory and has been steadily advancing in recent times.