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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Ukraine‘s primary objective in its ongoing military operations is to destroy as much of Russia‘s war potential as possible and to conduct maximum counteroffensive actions, including creating a buffer zone on Russian territory. This mission, he said, is central to Ukraine’s incursion into Russia’s Kursk region, which began on August 6.
Zelenskyy clarified the aim of the operation during his nightly address on Sunday, marking the first time he has explicitly stated the goal of the incursion. Previously, he had mentioned that the operation was intended to protect Ukrainian communities in the bordering Sumy region from relentless shelling by Russian forces.
Ukrainian forces over the weekend targeted and destroyed a key bridge in the Kursk region and struck a second one nearby, significantly disrupting Russian supply lines. This escalation is part of Ukraine’s daring cross-border operation, which has caught the Kremlin off guard.
Pro-Kremlin military bloggers acknowledged that the destruction of the first bridge on the Seim River near Glushkovo would hamper deliveries to Russian forces. However, they noted that Moscow could still use pontoons and smaller bridges. Ukrainian Air Force Chief Lt. Gen. Mykola Oleshchuk shared a video of the airstrike that severed the bridge, and within two days, Ukrainian troops reportedly struck a second bridge. The exact location of this second attack remains unclear, but Russian Telegram channels suggested it was another bridge over the Seim in the village of Zvannoe.
If confirmed, these strikes would complicate Moscow’s efforts to resupply its forces and evacuate civilians. The attacks have sown chaos, with tens of thousands of civilians fleeing the region as Ukrainian forces advanced in multiple directions with little resistance.
Ukraine’s Commander in Chief, Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, claimed that Ukrainian forces have advanced across 1,000 square kilometers of the region, though these claims have not been independently verified.
Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukrainian forces have “achieved good and much-needed results” in their efforts to create a buffer zone. However, analysts caution that consolidating gains inside Russia could be risky due to Kyiv’s limited resources and the vulnerability of supply lines extending deep into Kursk.
Zelenskyy also urged Kyiv’s allies to lift restrictions on using Western weapons to strike deeper into Russian territory, including in Kursk, arguing that doing so would deprive Moscow of its ability to advance and cause destruction.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Foreign Ministry and pro-Kremlin bloggers have alleged that U.S.-made HIMARS launchers were used in the attacks on the bridges, though these claims have not been independently verified.
As Ukraine presses its offensive, Russian President Vladimir Putin has mirrored Ukraine’s strategy by attempting to create a buffer zone in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region, following Ukrainian shelling of Russia’s Belgorod region.
Elsewhere, concerns over the safety of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant have intensified. The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, warned of a deteriorating safety situation after a drone strike detonated an explosive near the plant, close to critical infrastructure.
In another development, Belarus, a close ally of Russia, has reportedly deployed nearly a third of its army along its border with Ukraine in response to the presence of over 120,000 Ukrainian troops on the frontier. However, Ukrainian officials have not observed any signs of a Belarusian buildup.
The ongoing conflict continues to escalate, with both Ukraine and Russia seeking to establish buffer zones and gain strategic advantages in the protracted war.
Zelenskyy clarified the aim of the operation during his nightly address on Sunday, marking the first time he has explicitly stated the goal of the incursion. Previously, he had mentioned that the operation was intended to protect Ukrainian communities in the bordering Sumy region from relentless shelling by Russian forces.
Ukrainian forces over the weekend targeted and destroyed a key bridge in the Kursk region and struck a second one nearby, significantly disrupting Russian supply lines. This escalation is part of Ukraine’s daring cross-border operation, which has caught the Kremlin off guard.
Pro-Kremlin military bloggers acknowledged that the destruction of the first bridge on the Seim River near Glushkovo would hamper deliveries to Russian forces. However, they noted that Moscow could still use pontoons and smaller bridges. Ukrainian Air Force Chief Lt. Gen. Mykola Oleshchuk shared a video of the airstrike that severed the bridge, and within two days, Ukrainian troops reportedly struck a second bridge. The exact location of this second attack remains unclear, but Russian Telegram channels suggested it was another bridge over the Seim in the village of Zvannoe.
If confirmed, these strikes would complicate Moscow’s efforts to resupply its forces and evacuate civilians. The attacks have sown chaos, with tens of thousands of civilians fleeing the region as Ukrainian forces advanced in multiple directions with little resistance.
Ukraine’s Commander in Chief, Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, claimed that Ukrainian forces have advanced across 1,000 square kilometers of the region, though these claims have not been independently verified.
Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukrainian forces have “achieved good and much-needed results” in their efforts to create a buffer zone. However, analysts caution that consolidating gains inside Russia could be risky due to Kyiv’s limited resources and the vulnerability of supply lines extending deep into Kursk.
Zelenskyy also urged Kyiv’s allies to lift restrictions on using Western weapons to strike deeper into Russian territory, including in Kursk, arguing that doing so would deprive Moscow of its ability to advance and cause destruction.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Foreign Ministry and pro-Kremlin bloggers have alleged that U.S.-made HIMARS launchers were used in the attacks on the bridges, though these claims have not been independently verified.
As Ukraine presses its offensive, Russian President Vladimir Putin has mirrored Ukraine’s strategy by attempting to create a buffer zone in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region, following Ukrainian shelling of Russia’s Belgorod region.
Elsewhere, concerns over the safety of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant have intensified. The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, warned of a deteriorating safety situation after a drone strike detonated an explosive near the plant, close to critical infrastructure.
In another development, Belarus, a close ally of Russia, has reportedly deployed nearly a third of its army along its border with Ukraine in response to the presence of over 120,000 Ukrainian troops on the frontier. However, Ukrainian officials have not observed any signs of a Belarusian buildup.
The ongoing conflict continues to escalate, with both Ukraine and Russia seeking to establish buffer zones and gain strategic advantages in the protracted war.
