Ukraine’s army surprised everyone by launching an offensive into Russia, capturing over two dozen villages in the biggest cross-border assault since World War II. This move comes after months of deadlocked warfare on the front lines and almost two and a half years into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The attack, which began at sunrise on Aug. 6, involved up to 1,000 soldiers crossing into Russia’s Kursk region near Sudzha.
As of Monday, at least 12 civilians have been killed, and 121 others injured in the fighting. Over 120,000 people have left or been evacuated from the area. The small town of Sudzha, with its strategic gas metering station, has become a focal point of the conflict.
Ukraine now controls at least 800 square km of territory in Russia’s Kursk region, with the military continuing offensive operations. While Russia has admitted Ukrainian units have made significant advances, they have deployed reinforcements to slow down Ukraine’s progress. President Putin has labeled the offensive a “large-scale provocation.” Moscow has moved more troops and weapons to the region in response, claiming to defeat Ukrainian attacks.
President Zelensky says the offensive is a security measure, capturing areas from which the Russian army struck at the Sumy region in Ukraine. The Ukrainian foreign ministry asserts the incursion is legitimate and not aimed at territorial expansion.
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