Zelensky Confirms Ukrainian Offensive in Russia’s Kursk Region Amid Rising Tensions

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has for the first time publicly acknowledged that Ukrainian forces are conducting an offensive inside Russia’s western Kursk region. 

In a televised address on Saturday, Zelensky stated that the military operation aims to shift the conflict “onto the aggressor’s territory,” marking a significant escalation in the ongoing war with Russia.

The operation began five days ago and has reportedly taken Russia by surprise, leading to mass evacuations across the border areas. The scale of the Ukrainian advance is notable, with reports indicating that Ukrainian troops are pushing more than 10 kilometers into Russian territory—making it the deepest incursion since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

In response, Russia has initiated a “counter-terrorism operation” across Kursk, Belgorod, and Bryansk regions, implementing measures such as movement restrictions and phone tapping. 

Russian authorities have also reported significant evacuations, with over 76,000 people displaced from the border area.

The conflict has also intensified in Ukraine. On Sunday, Russian airstrikes targeted Kyiv and the Sumy region, resulting in the deaths of a 35-year-old man and his four-year-old child, with several others wounded. 

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko urged residents to remain in shelters as air defense units responded to the attacks.

Ukrainian forces have reportedly seized several villages and are threatening the regional town of Sudzha, where a video surfaced showing armed Ukrainian soldiers at a Gazprom gas facility. However, the claim of complete control over Sudzha remains unverified, with conflicting reports about the town’s status.

The Russian Defense Ministry claims that its troops are repelling the Ukrainian advance and has sent reinforcements, including tanks and rocket systems, to the Kursk region. Meanwhile, the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has called for restraint from both sides, as fighting nears the Kursk nuclear power plant, a major facility located 60 kilometers northeast of Sudzha.

Zelensky, in his address, commended the Ukrainian military for its efforts and reiterated the country’s resolve to uphold justice and exert pressure on Russia. 

Chioma Kalu

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