Ukraine’s military incursion into Kursk aims to create a “buffer zone” to prevent cross-border attacks by Moscow’s forces, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed Sunday, as his troops blew up a second bridge in the Russian border region.
Ukrainian forces are inching forward in Kursk amid fighting following the launch of their surprise military operation there nearly two weeks ago. But Ukraine also remains under pressure in its occupied east as Russian forces advance toward a key military hub.
The Kursk offensive has left Russia struggling to shore up its own territory. Kyiv seems to have multiple goals with the assault, from boosting morale after a torrid few months to stretching Russia’s resources.
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A Ukrainian presidential aide said the incursion aimed at ensuring a “fair” negotiation process.
For the first time, Zelensky on Sunday stated the strategic ambitions of the operation, saying: “It is now our primary task in defensive operations overall: to destroy as much Russian war potential as possible and conduct maximum counteroffensive actions.”
Those include “creating a buffer zone on the aggressor’s territory,” the president said in his latest address.
“Everything that inflicts losses on the Russian army, Russian state, their military-industrial complex, and their economy helps prevent the war from expanding and brings us closer to a just end to this aggression,” Zelensky said.
Kyiv’s foothold in Kursk is “getting stronger” with troops reinforcing their positions, according to Zelensky. Kyiv says it controls nearly 1,000 square kilometers of Russian territory, and both Russia and Ukraine have urged residents to evacuate from areas where heavy fighting is ongoing.
As part of efforts to cripple Moscow’s logistical capabilities and disrupt supply routes, Ukrainian forces said Sunday they blew up another bridge over the Seym river in the Kursk region, with “precision airstrikes.”
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