Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday that Ukraine’s surprise incursion into Russia’s Kursk region was aimed at creating a “buffer zone” between the two countries and further complicating Moscow’s cross-border offensive.
“Our main task now in the entire defensive operation is to destroy as much of Russia’s war-fighting capabilities as possible and to launch maximum counter-offensive action,” Zelenskiy said in an evening speech, publicly acknowledging for the first time the true intentions of the offensive.
“This includes creating a buffer zone on the aggressor’s territory, namely our operation in the Kursk region,” Zelenskyy continued.
Ukrainian forces destroyed one bridge in the region this weekend and attacked a second in an attempt to cut off Russian supply lines. A pro-Russian war blogger later acknowledged that a previous attack, aimed at a bridge over the Seim River near the Russian village of Grushkovo, was successful. The location and effect of the second attack had not been disclosed as of Sunday morning.
Putin panics as Ukraine advances troops along ‘dormant front’ in border patrol operation
An inset image shows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky standing at the site of what was said to be a successful attack on a Russian bridge that serves as a main supply route for troops in the country’s Kursk region. (Office of the President of Ukraine/Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
The impact of the reported attacks on Russian infrastructure has further complicated a situation that has already put Moscow on the unexpected defensive, forcing it to reassess its strategy along Ukraine’s northeastern border just months after the conflict began in 2022, even though the region was largely considered unimportant to the conflict.
“Ukrainian operations in the Kursk region [has forced] “This is a decision point for the Kremlin and the Russian military command as to whether they view their 1,000-kilometer international border with northeastern Ukraine as a legitimate front line that Russia must defend,” George Barros of the Institute for the Study of War previously told Fox News Digital.
This infographic, titled “New Front in the Russia-Ukraine War: Kursk,” was produced in Ankara, Turkey on August 8, 2024. On August 6, Ukrainian forces launched an all-out offensive into the Kursk region of southern Russia, forming a new front in the conflict. (Murat Usbari/Anadolu via Getty Images)
“Russia has devoted significant resources to building fortifications along its international borders,” Baros noted, “but it has not been able to manpower or build any fortifications.” [matériel] It is important that these forts are manned and defended.”
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Since launching the operation on Aug. 6, Ukraine has claimed roughly 400 square miles of Russian territory.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
