Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the recent military incursion into Russia’s Kursk region aims to create a buffer zone to prevent further Russian attacks, AP News reports.
This operation, which began on August 6, aims to protect the Sumy region from shelling and to destroy Russian military capabilities. Ukraine’s air force has already destroyed key bridges on the Seim River in Kursk, disrupting Russian supply and evacuation efforts. Russia’s Foreign Ministry accused Ukraine of using US-made HIMARS launchers to destroy the bridges, though this remains unverified. Ukraine’s push into Russia resembles a previous successful operation in Kharkiv in September 2022.
Zelensky has called for Western allies to lift restrictions on using long-range weapons to attack targets deeper in Russia, asserting that this would prevent further Russian advances. The incursion has demonstrated Ukraine’s ability to seize the initiative despite its limited resources. Meanwhile, Russia has increased missile attacks on Kyiv, targeting it multiple times in August, with Ukrainian air defenses intercepting the missiles.
