A high-ranking official from Ukraine has stated that thousands of Ukrainian troops are currently engaged in an operation to expose Russia’s vulnerabilities and create instability in the country. This offensive has now been ongoing for six days.
We are taking the initiative. According to an anonymous security official, the objective is to extend the enemy’s positions, cause significant damage, and create instability in Russia by exploiting their inability to defend their own border.
The Russian army reported that approximately 1,000 Ukrainian troops initiated a cross-border incursion on Tuesday, which seemed to surprise the Kremlin and enabled Ukraine’s forces to breach Russian defensive lines.
When questioned about the accuracy of the $1,000 figure, the official responded by saying, “It is significantly higher… Thousands.”
Finally breaking his silence, Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, addressed the offensive on Saturday, stating that Kyiv was taking the fight to the aggressor’s territory.
In February 2022, Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine, resulting in the occupation of large portions of eastern and southern Ukraine. Ukrainian cities have been relentlessly targeted with missile and drone attacks on a daily basis.
Despite their initial successes in recapturing large areas in 2022, Ukrainian forces have encountered challenges in terms of manpower and arms supplies, which have put them on the defensive. Ukrainian units launched a forceful offensive on Tuesday, crossing the border in what is considered their largest and most successful operation in the ongoing conflict.
The troops have made significant progress into the Kursk region, prompting Russia’s army to quickly deploy reserves and additional equipment. However, both sides have been tight-lipped about the exact forces involved. Tens of thousands of civilians have been evacuated from the area by Russia, while Ukraine has also taken measures to evacuate thousands of people from the Sumy region across the border.
According to a Ukrainian official, the recent operation has significantly boosted the morale of the Ukrainian army, state, and society. This comes after weeks of Russian advances in eastern Ukraine.
This operation has demonstrated our ability to take the initiative and make progress. It appears that the Russians are facing challenges when it comes to coordination and preparedness for action,” he added.
However, the official clarified that there has been minimal impact on the ongoing conflict in the eastern region. The situation remains essentially the same. Their ongoing presence in the east remains unchanged, as they have not yet withdrawn troops from the area,” he stated, noting that “the frequency of Russian attacks has slightly decreased.”
The official emphasised that Ukrainian troops are committed to upholding international humanitarian law while operating on Russian territory and have no intentions of annexing the areas under their control.
“There is no intention of annexation … He emphasised that our operations strictly adhere to international law, in stark contrast to the alleged violations committed by Russian troops in occupied territory.
When questioned about the possibility of capturing the Kursk nuclear power plant near the border, the official responded by saying, “We will observe the progress of the Kursk operation.” We are committed to ensuring the utmost safety and security of nuclear facilities. We can guarantee this.
The International Atomic Energy Agency has called on both parties to exercise utmost caution to prevent a nuclear incident that could have severe radiological repercussions.
The White House announced on Wednesday that it was reaching out to Ukraine in order to gain a better understanding of the “objectives” behind the incursion.
In May, Joe Biden authorised Kyiv to utilise weapons provided by the US to defend against Moscow’s incursion into the Kharkiv region, just across the Russian border.
However, according to John Kirby, the spokesperson for the White House national security council, there have been no changes to the US policy discouraging broader strikes or attacks inside Russia.
The Ukrainian official responded by stating that it was “incorrect” to suggest that western partners had been kept uninformed about Ukraine’s offensive. “Considering the significant involvement of western arms in the operations, it appears that our western partners may have had an indirect role in the planning,” he added.
According to the official, it is anticipated that Russia will ultimately succeed in halting Ukrainian forces in Kursk and respond with a significant missile strike targeting key decision-making centres in Ukraine.
There has been a significant increase in the bombardment of the Sumy region, which is located just across the border from Kursk. Meanwhile, emergency services reported a tragic incident near Kyiv where a man and his four-year-old son lost their lives in an overnight missile attack.
On Saturday night, explosions were audible in the city’s central and eastern areas following the Ukrainian air force’s announcement that two Russian missiles were traveling to Kyiv.
According to the Ukrainian air force on Sunday, Ukrainian forces were able to destroy 53 out of 57 attack drones that Russia fired during the nighttime airstrikes. During the attack, which the air force stated also included four missiles developed in North Korea, the drones were destroyed in a number of different locations across Ukraine.
Zelenskiy posted on social media that “according to preliminary information, the Russians used a North Korean missile in this attack – yet another deliberate terrorist strike against Ukraine.” The Russian government was responsible for carrying out this attack. Technical specialists in the field of pyrotechnics are still striving to ascertain the precise information concerning this missile.