Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared that “war is returning to Russian soil” as Ukrainian forces launched the largest cross-border offensive since the start of the war.
“Russia brought war to other countries, and now it is bringing war to its homeland,” Zelenskiy said in a daily speech on Monday night.
His comments came after Ukrainian forces launched a surprise attack on the Russian border a week ago, forcing at least 200,000 Russians to flee, leaving President Vladimir Putin red-faced.
Zelenskiy argued that the border region of Russia’s neighboring Kursk, which is currently under attack, is where the Kremlin launched its offensive early on in the more than two-year war, adding that “it is entirely fair to destroy Russian terrorists where they are.”
“If Putin wants to fight so much, Russia will have to be forced to make peace,” Zelensky said defiantly.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian military commander-in-chief Gen. Oleksandr Shirsky said early Monday that his forces had gained control of about 400 square miles of the under-fire Kursk region.
“Our troops are fulfilling their mission. Fighting is indeed ongoing across the entire front. The situation is under our control,” Schirsky said.
The Russian military is still scrambling to respond. weakening the Ukrainian invasion After nearly a week of fierce fighting.
Moscow hit back at Ukrainian forces on Tuesday with missiles, drones and airstrikes, an action that one senior commander claimed had halted the Ukrainian advance.
The Russian Defense Ministry also released footage of bombing attacks on alleged Ukrainian troops in the Kursk border area, as well as footage of infantry storming Ukrainian military positions.
“The enemy’s uncontrolled attacks have already been halted,” said Maj. Gen. Apti Alaudinov, commander of the Chechen Akhmat special forces.
“The enemy already knows that their planned blitzkrieg didn’t work.”
Residents of Kursk have begun recording videos lamenting having to flee the border region and pleading with Putin for help.
Putin, meanwhile, denounced the attack as an attempt by Kiev to thwart it. Moscow offensive Expanding their influence in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine will give them an advantage in future peace negotiations.
“It is clear that the enemy will continue to try to destabilize the situation on the border in order to destabilize the domestic political situation in our country,” Putin said on Monday, adding that Russia’s main task was “to expel the enemy from our territory and, in cooperation with the border guards, ensure reliable security of the border.”
With post wire
