Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that UkraineThe main objective of the ongoing military operations is the destruction of as much Russia‘S War potential as possible and to carry out maximum counter-offensive measures, including the creation of a Buffer zone To Russian territoryThis mission, he said, was central to Ukraine’s invasion of Russia’s Kursk Region, which began on August 6th.
In his speech on Sunday evening, Zelensky explained the aim of the operation. It was the first time that he explicitly stated the aim of the invasion. He had previously mentioned that the operation was intended to protect Ukrainian communities in the neighboring Sumy region from relentless shelling by Russian forces.
Ukrainian Armed Forces Over the weekend, a key bridge in the Kursk region was attacked and destroyed, and a second nearby was hit, significantly disrupting Russian supply lines. This escalation is part of Ukraine’s daring cross-border operation that has taken the Kremlin by surprise.
Pro-Kremlin military bloggers acknowledged that the destruction of the first bridge over the Seim River at Glushkovo would hamper supplies to Russian forces, but noted that Moscow could still deploy pontoons and smaller bridges. The head of the Ukrainian Air Force, Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk, shared a video of the airstrike that severed the bridge, and within two days Ukrainian troops reportedly attacked a second bridge. The exact location of this second attack is still unclear, but Russian Telegram channels suggested it was another bridge over the Seim River in the village of Zvannoe.
If confirmed, these attacks would complicate Moscow’s efforts to resupply its troops and evacuate civilians. The attacks have sowed chaos, with tens of thousands of civilians fleeing the region as Ukrainian troops advanced in several directions, offering little resistance.
Ukraine’s commander-in-chief, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, claimed that Ukrainian forces had advanced on 1,000 square kilometers of the region. However, these claims have not been independently verified.
Zelensky stressed that Ukrainian forces had “achieved good and much-needed results” in their efforts to create a buffer zone, but analysts warn that consolidating gains inside Russia could be risky, given Kyiv’s limited resources and vulnerable supply lines extending well into Kursk.
Zelensky also called on Kyiv’s allies to lift restrictions on the use of Western weapons in advances deeper into Russian territory, including Kursk, arguing that doing so would deprive Moscow of its ability to advance and wreak destruction.
Meanwhile, the Russian Foreign Ministry and pro-Kremlin bloggers claimed that American-made HIMARS launch vehicles were used in the attacks on the bridges. However, these claims have not been independently verified.
As Ukraine continues its offensive, Russian President Vladimir Putin has joined Ukraine’s strategy of trying to create a buffer zone in the northeastern Kharkiv region after Ukraine shelled Russia’s Belgorod region.
Elsewhere, concerns have grown about the safety of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhia nuclear power plant. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi warned of a deteriorating security situation after a drone strike detonated an explosive device near the plant, close to critical infrastructure.
In another development, Belarus, a close ally of Russia, has reportedly deployed nearly a third of its army to its border with Ukraine in response to the presence of over 120,000 Ukrainian troops on the border. However, Ukrainian officials have not noticed any signs of a troop buildup by Belarus.
The ongoing conflict continues to escalate. Both Ukraine and Russia are trying to establish buffer zones and gain strategic advantages in the protracted war.
In his speech on Sunday evening, Zelensky explained the aim of the operation. It was the first time that he explicitly stated the aim of the invasion. He had previously mentioned that the operation was intended to protect Ukrainian communities in the neighboring Sumy region from relentless shelling by Russian forces.
Ukrainian Armed Forces Over the weekend, a key bridge in the Kursk region was attacked and destroyed, and a second nearby was hit, significantly disrupting Russian supply lines. This escalation is part of Ukraine’s daring cross-border operation that has taken the Kremlin by surprise.
Pro-Kremlin military bloggers acknowledged that the destruction of the first bridge over the Seim River at Glushkovo would hamper supplies to Russian forces, but noted that Moscow could still deploy pontoons and smaller bridges. The head of the Ukrainian Air Force, Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk, shared a video of the airstrike that severed the bridge, and within two days Ukrainian troops reportedly attacked a second bridge. The exact location of this second attack is still unclear, but Russian Telegram channels suggested it was another bridge over the Seim River in the village of Zvannoe.
If confirmed, these attacks would complicate Moscow’s efforts to resupply its troops and evacuate civilians. The attacks have sowed chaos, with tens of thousands of civilians fleeing the region as Ukrainian troops advanced in several directions, offering little resistance.
Ukraine’s commander-in-chief, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, claimed that Ukrainian forces had advanced on 1,000 square kilometers of the region. However, these claims have not been independently verified.
Zelensky stressed that Ukrainian forces had “achieved good and much-needed results” in their efforts to create a buffer zone, but analysts warn that consolidating gains inside Russia could be risky, given Kyiv’s limited resources and vulnerable supply lines extending well into Kursk.
Zelensky also called on Kyiv’s allies to lift restrictions on the use of Western weapons in advances deeper into Russian territory, including Kursk, arguing that doing so would deprive Moscow of its ability to advance and wreak destruction.
Meanwhile, the Russian Foreign Ministry and pro-Kremlin bloggers claimed that American-made HIMARS launch vehicles were used in the attacks on the bridges. However, these claims have not been independently verified.
As Ukraine continues its offensive, Russian President Vladimir Putin has joined Ukraine’s strategy of trying to create a buffer zone in the northeastern Kharkiv region after Ukraine shelled Russia’s Belgorod region.
Elsewhere, concerns have grown about the safety of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhia nuclear power plant. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi warned of a deteriorating security situation after a drone strike detonated an explosive device near the plant, close to critical infrastructure.
In another development, Belarus, a close ally of Russia, has reportedly deployed nearly a third of its army to its border with Ukraine in response to the presence of over 120,000 Ukrainian troops on the border. However, Ukrainian officials have not noticed any signs of a troop buildup by Belarus.
The ongoing conflict continues to escalate. Both Ukraine and Russia are trying to establish buffer zones and gain strategic advantages in the protracted war.
