August 11th 2024.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has made a significant statement, confirming that Ukrainian troops are currently engaged in combat inside Russia. This comes after days of a surprise incursion into Russia's Kursk region, causing a major embarrassment for the Kremlin. Zelenskyy's acknowledgment marks the first time that the Ukrainian government has officially recognized the operation, which has caught both Russia and Ukraine's allies by surprise.
In his address to the nation on Saturday, Zelenskyy expressed his appreciation for the efforts of Ukraine's armed forces, thanking them for their role in "pushing the war out into the aggressor's territory" and "restoring justice." He also emphasized the importance of putting pressure on the aggressor in order to achieve peace.
For days, Ukrainian officials remained tight-lipped about the operation, despite the emergence of photographs, videos, and firsthand reports of Ukrainian soldiers inside Russia. Meanwhile, Moscow has been scrambling to contain the attack, imposing a sweeping counter-terror operation in Kursk and two other border regions and evacuating tens of thousands of people from the area.
The attack on Kursk, now in its sixth day, marks a significant development in the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia. While Ukraine has previously targeted the border region of Belgorod and conducted limited cross-border attacks, this is the first time that regular Ukrainian troops and special operations units have entered Russian territory. The element of surprise has proven to be advantageous, as Russian troops have struggled to stop the Ukrainian advances and push them back.
According to the US-based Institute for the Study of War, Ukrainian forces have maintained their positions in the region and even made some progress. As of Sunday, Russian authorities had lost control of at least 250 square kilometers of territory, as shown by independent analyses and CNN's mapping. Videos circulating on social media also appear to show Ukrainian troops removing Russian flags in Kursk and replacing them with Ukrainian ones.
As a result of the ongoing conflict, the governor of Kursk has urged authorities to speed up evacuations from the border areas, with over 76,000 people already displaced. In response, Russian authorities have imposed a "counterterrorist operation regime" in Kursk, Bryansk, and Belgorod regions, giving them wider powers to monitor communications and restrict the movement of people.
The surprise attack in Kursk has been a significant win for Ukraine, as it continues to struggle to defend its territory along the 1000-kilometer frontline. Despite Russia's slow and steady offensive, which has recently advanced towards strategically important towns and roads in eastern Ukraine, the Ukrainian government has managed to make progress in Kursk.
Unfortunately, the conflict has taken a toll on innocent civilians. Just this week, a Russian strike in Brovary, east of the Ukrainian capital, killed a four-year-old boy and his father, and injured another child. Another attack on a supermarket in Kostiantynivka, Donetsk, resulted in the deaths of at least 11 people and injured 37. In a video statement, Zelenskyy revealed that Russia has launched over 30 missiles and 800 guided aerial bombs against Ukraine in just one week.
According to Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk, Russia has used North Korean KN-23 ballistic missiles and Iranian-made Shahed drones in their attacks. However, these claims cannot be independently verified by CNN. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine has also reported that July has been the deadliest month for civilian casualties since October 2022, with at least 219 deaths and 1018 injuries. It is a tragic reality for the Ukrainian people, who continue to endure the consequences of this ongoing conflict.
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