As reported, on Wednesday an onslaught of missiles and drones continued unabated against the Kursk region of Russia from Ukraine. The Kyiv authorities have indicated that they have secured additional territorial advances in an offensive that US President Joe Biden dubbed as a “spoken quandary” for Vladimir Putin, the head of the Kremlin.
The acting regional governor disclosed that four missiles from Ukraine were intercepted over Kursk in the early hours of Wednesday, and the entire area was under sporadic on-and-off air raid warnings throughout the night.
The day prior, on Tuesday, Kyiv claimed to have seized control of 74 settlements in Kursk. This surprising offensive was launched a week ago by thousands of Ukrainian soldiers who penetrated the Russian border.
This account from Ukraine clashes with Russia’s claims that the Ukrainian troops have been stopped, and that their assaults have been thwarted in villages approximately 26 to 28 kilometres from the border.
Joe Biden referred to the continued onslaught on Kursk by Ukraine as a “pronounced quandary” for Putin. In retaliation, Russia targeted Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region using missiles and drones.
The assault, according to Russian President Vladimir Putin, is aimed at enhancing Kiev’s bargaining power ahead of potential discussions and impeding the advancement of Russia’s front line.
This unexpected incursion has altered the course of the war, which began with Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, granting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy his first critical victories following months of gradual Russian territorial progression into Ukraine.
President Biden stated that his administration is in continual contact with Kyiv regarding the operations, despite earlier White House statements denying involvement in planning or preparation.
Russian military blogger “Rybar”, who is believed to be close to the Defence Ministry, stated on the Telegram messaging app that Ukrainian forces are attacking multiple areas concurrently, while Russian troops are holding down Kyiv fighters, hitting their armament storage points, and reinforcements are coming in. The scenario on the battlefield could not be independently validated by Reuters.
In a statement on Telegram, the interim governor of Kursk, Alexei Smirnov, mentioned that Russian military personnel are vigorously engaging side by side in a campaign Russia designates as a ‘special military procedure’ against Ukraine.
The current command of the Russian city, Sudzha, is unclear. This city serves as a route for Russian gas transportation from Western Siberia through Ukraine to Slovakia and additional European Union nations. Gazprom confirmed on Tuesday that they are maintaining the gas supply to Ukraine via Sudzha.
Certain American officials admitted that the US government is presently attempting to comprehend the intentions of Kyiv. However, it seems the objective is to coerce Russia into retracting their forces from Ukraine in order to protect their own land.
President Zelenskiy communicated that Ukraine’s military had gathered Russian prisoners of war who might be exchanged for detained Ukrainian soldiers, promoting the growth of what he refers to as an ‘exchange programme.’
The Ukrainian President, through video conferencing, instructed his chief commander, Oleksandr Syrskyi, to plan the upcoming critical moves in the operation. Syrskyi replied, confidently stating the schedule is being executed as planned.
Throughout the United Nations’ proceedings, Russia criticised Kyiv’s partners for their failure to condemn the intrusion.
On Wednesday, the governor of the Russian border region of Belgorod, situated south of Kursk, instated a state of emergency, attributing it to the ongoing offensive attacks by Ukraine’s forces. He intends to request that Moscow declare a state of federal emergency.
Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov acknowledged via a Telegram video post that “The situation in the Belgorod region remains drastically complex and charged.” – Reuters. Copyright Thomson Reuters 2024.