(August 11, 2024) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed that Ukrainian forces are actively engaged in a cross-border offensive within Russia’s Kursk region. In a video address late Saturday, Zelensky stated that Ukraine is pushing the conflict onto “the aggressor’s territory,” marking a significant escalation since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.
The surprise attack, which commenced on Tuesday, saw Ukrainian troops advance over 10 kilometers (approximately six miles) into Russian territory. This marks the deepest Ukrainian incursion since the conflict began. In response, Russia has struggled to halt the advance, leading to the evacuation of more than 76,000 people from the Kursk region and the imposition of a “counter-terror” regime in Kursk, Belgorod, and Bryansk. This regime allows for restricted movement of people and vehicles, as well as the use of phone tapping and other surveillance measures.
President Zelensky praised Ukraine’s military efforts and expressed gratitude to the country’s “warriors.” He also mentioned having discussed the operation with Ukraine’s top military commander, Oleksandr Syrskyi. Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine is demonstrating its ability to restore justice and exert necessary pressure on Russia.
On the ground, fighting continued into Saturday night, with Kursk Governor Aleksei Smirnov reporting injuries from a “treacherous” Ukrainian attack. Earlier, debris from a downed Ukrainian missile fell on a multi-storey building in Kursk, injuring 13 people. Additionally, Ukrainian drone attacks were reported in Russia’s Voronezh and Belgorod regions, though no injuries were mentioned.
In Ukraine, a rocket fragment struck residential houses in the Kyiv region, killing a 35-year-old man and his four-year-old son. Three others, including a 13-year-old child, were wounded. Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko advised civilians to stay in shelters as air defense units responded to the attacks.
The Ukrainian incursion began on Tuesday morning when up to 1,000 troops, supported by tanks and armored vehicles, entered the Kursk region. Ukrainian forces have reportedly seized several villages and are threatening the town of Sudzha. A video surfaced on Friday showing Ukrainian soldiers claiming control over Sudzha and a Gazprom gas facility. BBC Verify confirmed the footage’s authenticity but could not confirm the complete capture of the town.
Russian military sources reported sending reinforcements, including tanks and rocket systems, to Kursk to repel the Ukrainian forces. The UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has urged both sides to exercise restraint as the fighting nears the Kursk nuclear power plant, one of Russia’s largest nuclear facilities, located about 60 kilometers northeast of Sudzha. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi called for measures to avoid any potential nuclear accidents with serious radiological consequences.
