Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has stated that the military incursion into Russia’s Kursk region is aimed at creating a buffer zone to prevent further attacks by Moscow. This operation, launched on August 6, marks the first time Zelenskiy has clearly outlined the objective, previously suggesting it aimed to protect communities in the Sumy region from shelling.
Zelenskiy emphasized in his address that destroying Russian war potential and conducting counteroffensive actions are essential tasks. The Ukrainian forces have made significant advances into the Kursk region, leading to chaos and panic as thousands of civilians flee.
While the exact extent of Ukrainian control in the region is not independently verified, Ukrainian commander Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi claimed to have advanced across 1,000 square kilometers.
Zelenskiy expressed satisfaction with the results achieved in creating the buffer zone and stated that it was a much-needed action. On the other hand, Russian President Vladimir Putin had previously mentioned that Moscow’s offensive in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region intended to create a security zone in response to Ukrainian shelling of Russia’s Belgorod region.
Russia’s offensive displaced thousands of Ukrainians and opened a new front in the conflict. Putin stated, “That’s what we are doing,” referring to the creation of the security zone as a response to Ukrainian actions.
The ongoing developments on both sides of the border indicate a deepening conflict with each country pursuing its own strategic goals, resulting in displacement of civilians and escalation of tensions.
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