In a surprising shift in strategy, Ukrainian forces launched a daring assault into Russian territory this week, catching Moscow off guard and opening a new front in the prolonged conflict. According to Russian officials and analysts, the Ukrainian forces breached Russian border defenses, seizing several settlements as fighting continued on Thursday, reported NYT.
The attack prompted a state of emergency in one western Russian region, with Ukrainian armored columns moving up to 6 miles inside Russia.Videos show American-made armored vehicles being destroyed in Russian counterattacks.
A senior Ukrainian official, quoted by NYT, indicated that the assault aimed to shift the conflict onto Russian soil and relieve pressure on Ukrainian forces in the east. “We are at war,” he said. “Why can Russia attack and we cannot?”
This move, reportedly involving around 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers, was described as a response to previous setbacks and an effort to stretch Russian resources. “We want to challenge the Russians, divert their forces, and show that they have no reserves,” said Andriy Zagorodnyuk, a former Ukrainian defense minister.

US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller confirmed that the use of American weapons in the attack does not breach US policy. Meanwhile, analysts like Konrad Muzyka suggest that the attack could benefit Ukraine if it reduces Russian offensives in the Donetsk region and enhances its negotiating position, reported NYT.
In a televised address, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy indirectly referred to the assault, emphasizing the need to increase pressure on Russia. “The more pressure is exerted on Russia — the aggressor that brought war to Ukraine — the closer peace will be,” he said.