Ukrainian sources have reported that thousands of troops have been committed to an incursion into Russia’s Kursk province, with a focus on destabilizing Russia and stretching out Russian forces with light, fast-moving attacks. The operation aims to inflict maximum losses and destabilize Russia, as Kyiv demonstrates its capacity to successfully attack. Russia suggested that the incursion involved only several hundred troops, while a Ukrainian official revealed that the actual number was in the thousands.
The incursion caught Russia off guard by striking at a lightly defended sector of the front, prompting speculation about Ukraine’s ability to pierce the area so easily. Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, accused Russia of launching nearly 2,000 cross-border strikes from Kursk into Ukraine’s Sumy region. Zelenskiy also accused Russian forces of starting a fire at the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which he claimed was an attempt to blackmail Ukraine, Europe, and the world.
The incursion has resulted in fighting as deep as 20 km inside the Kursk region, with reports of captured Russian soldiers being shown in videos. Amid the intensifying conflict, Russian military experts question the sustainability of the operation in the medium term. The conflict has expanded to include missile attacks near Kyiv, resulting in casualties, and the defence of Kursk with a mixture of forces, including conscripts and elements redeployed from lower-priority frontline areas in Ukraine.
The situation remains fluid as both sides continue to exchange accusations and engage in military actions, with a focus on the security and safety of the affected regions.
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