Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed that Ukrainian forces are actively fighting within Russian borders, following a surprising cross-border incursion into Russia’s Kursk region. This development has become a significant embarrassment for the Kremlin.
In his nightly address on Saturday, Zelensky stated, “Ukraine is demonstrating its ability to restore justice and apply the necessary pressure on the aggressor.” He expressed gratitude to every unit of the Ukrainian armed forces for pushing the conflict into Russian territory.
This acknowledgment is the first official confirmation from Zelensky regarding the incursion, which caught both Russia and Ukraine’s allies off guard. Despite emerging photographs, videos, and reports of Ukrainian soldiers operating within Russia, Ukrainian officials had remained silent about the operation until now.
In response, Moscow has been working to contain the situation by imposing a broad counterterrorism operation in Kursk and neighboring regions, leading to the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents.
As the incursion enters its sixth day, it represents a notable escalation in the over two-year-old conflict. While Ukraine has previously targeted the Belgorod region with airstrikes and sabotage groups have conducted minor cross-border attacks, the Kursk operation is the first instance of regular Ukrainian and special operations forces entering Russian territory.
The surprise element of the operation appears to be effective. As of Sunday, Russian troops are reportedly struggling to repel Ukrainian advances. The Institute for the Study of War, a US-based conflict monitoring group, reported that Ukrainian forces have maintained and slightly expanded their positions in the region.
By Friday, independent analyses and CNN’s mapping indicated that Russian authorities had lost control of at least 250 square kilometers of territory. The governor of Kursk has called for accelerated evacuations, with over 76,000 people having fled their homes by Saturday, according to Russian state news agency TASS.
Russian President Vladimir Putin labeled the Kursk attack as a “major provocation,” which has proven to be a strategic win for Kyiv amidst its ongoing struggle to maintain control along the extensive frontlines.
Meanwhile, Moscow has continued its gradual offensive, recently making advances towards several key towns and roads in eastern Ukraine. Early Sunday, Russian forces launched drone and missile attacks on the Kyiv region, resulting in the deaths of a four-year-old boy and his father in Brovary, with another child severely injured. This followed a strike on a supermarket in Kostiantynivka, Donetsk region, which killed at least 11 people and injured 37.
In a statement released on Sunday, Zelensky reported that “this week alone, the Russian army launched over 30 missiles and more than 800 guided aerial bombs.”
Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk claimed that Russia utilized North Korean KN-23 ballistic missiles and Iran-made Shahed drones in these attacks, though CNN has not independently verified this information.
This summer has been particularly deadly for Ukrainian civilians, with July being the deadliest month for civilian casualties since October 2022, according to UN human rights monitors. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) reported at least 219 civilian deaths and 1,018 injuries, attributing this to a “deadly wave of missile strikes on densely populated areas.”