Kyiv: Ukrainian Forces control 1000 square kilometers of Russian territory
On the seventh day of military operations in Russia's Kursk region, Ukrainian authorities have spoken out about the ongoing offensive. The Ukrainian Army now controls about 1000 square kilometers of Russian territory, said Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi, during a meeting chaired by President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday, August 12. A video of Syrskyi's report was posted on President Zelensky’s Telegram channel.
According to Syrskyi, Ukrainian forces continue their advance in the Kursk region, fulfilling their assigned tasks. "Battles are taking place practically along the entire front. The situation is under our control," he added.
President Zelensky, in response to Syrskyi's video, thanked the troops for their "resilience and decisive actions" in both defensive operations and the mission in Kursk. Zelensky stated that the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), and other agencies have been instructed to "prepare a humanitarian plan for the areas of operation."
Furthermore, Zelensky announced that the Coordination Staff, Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR), SBU, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs must "develop a clear and transparent strategy" for the return of Ukrainians from Russian captivity. He added that the Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Foreign Affairs have been tasked to "draft necessary actions to secure the use of long-range weaponry from our partners to defend our territory."
In his evening video address, Zelensky reminded viewers that Russia has launched attacks from the Kursk region, particularly targeting Ukraine’s Sumy region. He suggested that the Ukrainian offensive on Russian soil could potentially spell the end of Vladimir Putin's rule, drawing parallels to the Kursk submarine disaster, and mark a calamitous end to his war against Ukraine.
"That's how it is for those who disrespect individuals and rules. Russia brought war elsewhere, now it's back home. Ukraine always sought peace, and we will ensure it," Zelensky proclaimed.
On the same day, Acting Governor of the Kursk region, Alexey Smirnov, reported in a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin that Ukrainian Forces control 28 settlements in the Kursk region. Media estimates suggest that this number might be even higher.
Since August 6, 2024, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have been conducting a military operation in the Kursk region. According to reports from the Russian Ministry of Defense and Russian propaganda Telegram channels, Ukrainian forces have seized a section of the Russian border territory and advanced more than 10 kilometers inland.
Fighting is currently ongoing in the Korenevsky, Sudzhansky, and Belovsky districts. Notably, the "Sudzha" gas metering station, the sole point through which natural gas from Russia enters Ukraine’s gas transportation system and is then transited to the EU, is located in this area. Additionally, the region is home to the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant.
Volodymyr Zelensky publicly commented on the Ukrainian offensive on Russian territory for the first time on August 10, stating that Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi had briefed him on "transferring the war to the aggressor’s territory." Such actions demonstrate Kyiv’s capability to "restore justice" and exert necessary pressure on Russia, Zelensky said. However, he did not provide any details on the current status of Ukrainian units in the Kursk region or future military plans.