Ukraine Pushes Into Russian Territory as Conflict Intensifies in Eastern Regions

Recent developments indicate that Ukraine has launched a surprise offensive into Russia’s Kursk region, a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict. Ukrainian forces have reportedly crossed into Russian territory from the northeastern Sumy region, catching Moscow off guard. Ukrainian officials remain tight-lipped about the operation, but some analysts suggest it could be a tactic to extend the war into Russian territory, potentially improving Ukraine’s position in future negotiations. U.S. officials have stated that the use of U.S.-supplied weapons in this cross-border operation is acceptable​ Global News

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukrainian forces have captured more territory in the Kursk region as they push further into Russian territory. In his nightly address, Zelenskyy reported that Ukrainian troops advanced up to three kilometers, seizing control of two additional settlements, though he did not specify their names.

The Armed Forces advanced another 1-3 kilometers further in the Kursk region, – Zelensky

“Two more settlements were taken under control. Active actions are ongoing regarding one more settlement. There is a replenishment of the exchange fund,” the president said during the… pic.twitter.com/9ZOsk8S8gH

— Russian Propaganda 🚫 (@RussianPropX) August 25, 2024

Earlier on Sunday, during a press conference with foreign journalists in Kyiv, Zelenskyy explained that the offensive into Kursk was a preemptive measure to prevent Russia from advancing into the Ukrainian cities of Kharkiv and Sumy. He stated, “Russia planned an invasion of the Kharkiv region and intended to capture millions of people in the city of Kharkiv. Currently, 1.5 million people live there, due to Russia’s attacks that have devastated homes in small towns and villages in the Kharkiv region.” He added, “People have moved to Kharkiv, and now the city has a population of 1.5 million. Russia wants to seize this city as part of their operation, but we have disrupted their plans.”

Zelenskyy’s remarks come in the wake of a tragic incident involving a British national working for Reuters, who was killed in a Russian attack on a hotel in Kramatorsk. Ryan Evans, a safety advisor, was found dead under the rubble after a missile struck the Hotel Sapphire in the eastern Ukrainian city the previous night.

The attack left six others injured, including four members of the same Reuters team. Among the injured were one Ukrainian and three foreigners from the United States, Latvia, and Germany. Two of the injured were receiving hospital treatment on Sunday. Local authorities reported that the hotel was hit by an Iskander ballistic missile, causing blast injuries, concussions, and cuts to those affected. Journalists on the scene described the former hotel as reduced to rubble, with cleanup efforts continuing hours after the strike.

⚡️2 more settlements were taken under control, active actions are ongoing regarding one more settlement in the Kursk region, – Zelenskyi

He also informed that there is a replenishment of the exchange fund. pic.twitter.com/wGqHyvH26X

— 🪖MilitaryNewsUA🇺🇦 (@front_ukrainian) August 25, 2024

Meanwhile, residents of Ukraine’s Sumy region, located just across the border from Kursk, are enduring relentless shelling by Russian forces. According to Vadim Mysnik, a spokesperson for the Siversk Operational and Tactical Group, “Most of the strikes target civilians, and recently, they have also been using KAB guided bombs in their attacks.”

Further south in the Donetsk region, evacuations are ongoing as the Russian military makes more rapid advances in eastern Ukraine. Civilians have been forced to flee from frontline villages and towns to escape the ongoing bombardment. Galina, a resident of Myrnohrad, lamented, “There is almost no one left in our building. Maybe just two apartments are still occupied. People are leaving. Even the last dentist’s office has moved out, and now the pharmacy is gone. We are left without any pharmacy.”

Ukrainian President Zelensky:

Our forces are strengthening their positions in the areas they have captured and expanding the areas under our control. pic.twitter.com/8PgLGLvrnr

— S p r i n t e r (@SprinterFamily) August 19, 2024

Ukrainian military and regional authorities reported on Sunday that Russian attacks in northern, eastern, and southern Ukraine had resulted in at least four deaths and 37 injuries. Ukraine’s air force noted on Telegram that overnight strikes targeted the frontline regions of Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, and Donetsk. Despite Zelenskyy’s assertion that the operation in Kursk aimed to establish a buffer zone to deter Russian attacks, Russia continues to bombard Ukrainian border regions. The air force also mentioned that most of the missiles launched did not reach their intended targets but did not provide specifics on the number of missiles intercepted or destroyed.

Major Points:

• Ukrainian forces have advanced up to three kilometers into the Kursk region of Russia, capturing additional settlements as part of a preemptive strategy to deter Russian advances into Ukrainian cities like Kharkiv and Sumy.
• President Volodymyr Zelenskyy explained that the incursion into Kursk was intended to disrupt Russian plans to capture Kharkiv, which now has a population of 1.5 million people due to displacement caused by Russian attacks.
• A British national working for Reuters, Ryan Evans, was killed, and several others were injured in a Russian missile strike on a hotel in Kramatorsk, illustrating the ongoing dangers for journalists and civilians in conflict zones.
• The Sumy region in Ukraine, near the Russian border, is facing relentless shelling by Russian forces, targeting primarily civilian areas with guided bombs, leading to ongoing evacuations in the Donetsk region.
• Despite the Ukrainian efforts to create a buffer zone through the Kursk offensive, Russia continues to launch attacks on Ukrainian border regions, causing casualties and destruction, with many missiles reportedly failing to hit their targets.

Fallon Jacobson – Reprinted with permission of Whatfinger News