ENTRE News – Ukrainian military forces penetrated Russia’s western regions, making the Kremlin (Russia’s presidential palace) nervous, in their biggest attack since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. Hundreds of Kyiv soldiers equipped with armored vehicles, artillery and drones reportedly swept through the Kursk region, Russia, on Tuesday (6/8).
Reporting from Al Jazeera, Ukrainian troops are fighting on the border and approaching Sudzha, a town of 5,000 people whose square contains a statue of Soviet Union founder Vladimir Lenin. Ukraine’s military chief, Oleksandr Syrskyii, said Kyiv had captured about 1,000 square kilometers of Kursk in the offensive. Syrskyii’s claim was reported by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky via Telegram. It was the first time Zelensky confirmed that his military forces were operating inside Kursk.
In his statement, Zelensky emphasized that the current war was returning to Russia after Moscow took the fight to other countries. This Ukrainian attack is said to have taken Russia by surprise. Not long after this ‘invasion’ of Ukraine, Moscow immediately deployed its troops to Kursk.
“The heavy vehicles have been loaded onto trailers for immediate delivery to the area where formations of the Ukrainian Armed Forces are being blocked. This deployment is also carried out to ensure the safety of the road surface,” said the military report, as quoted by Al Jazeera.
Russia also ordered residents in the area to evacuate on Monday (12/8). The order was issued in line with the Kremlin’s efforts to contain attacks from Ukraine. Even though Ukraine caused a stir, Russia is now reported to have stabilized its front line in the Kursk region on Sunday (11/8).