Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Ukraine intends to create a “buffer zone” in Russia’s Kursk Oblast following the Ukrainian incursion.
It is the first time the Ukrainian president has commented on the motives for the surprise attack into Russian territory, which is the biggest invasion of Russia since World War Two.
According to Zelenskyy’s government, the Ukrainian armed forces have so far seized more than 80 settlements over 1,150 square kilometers in the incursion.
“It is now our primary task in defensive operations overall to destroy as much Russian war potential as possible and conduct maximum counteroffensive actions,” he said during a video to the country on Sunday evening. “This includes creating a buffer zone on the aggressor’s territory—our operation in the Kursk region.”
“We’ve already expanded and will continue to expand the circle of those who support a just end to this war.”
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Air Force destroyed another strategic bridge over the Seym River in Russia's Kursk region, limiting the supply capacity of a Russian group opposing the Ukrainian advance, Ukraine's commander said on Sunday.
He wrote: “Kursk direction. Minus one more bridge! Ukrainian Air Force aviation continues to deprive the enemy of logistical capabilities with precision air-strikes, which significantly affects the course of hostilities.”
Reuters news agency could not independently confirm the destruction of the bridge or the situation on the battlefield in Kursk. It also could not verify the date when the video was filmed.
However, Reuters was able to confirm the location of the bridge in Oleshchuk's video as in the village of Zvannoye in the Kursk region.
There was no immediate response from Moscow officials to Ukraine's reports. Some Russian military bloggers, including the prominent War Gonzo project, reported that Ukraine carried out an attack on the bridge in Zvannoye on Sunday.
A Russian military blogger close to the defense ministry who goes by the name "Rybar" said on the Telegram messaging app that the bridge was badly damaged, but did not collapse and can be used by pedestrians and, - in some cases, - light vehicles.
Earlier, military analysts said there were three bridges in the area of the Ukrainian army's offensive through which Russia supplies its forces and that two of them have been either destroyed or seriously damaged.
The bridge was the second one attacked by Ukraine since Friday.
According to Zelenskyy’s government, the Ukrainian armed forces have so far seized more than 80 settlements over 1,150 square kilometers in the incursion.
“It is now our primary task in defensive operations overall to destroy as much Russian war potential as possible and conduct maximum counteroffensive actions,” he said during a video to the country on Sunday evening. “This includes creating a buffer zone on the aggressor’s territory—our operation in the Kursk region.”
He also added that the "coming weeks will be crucial for our diplomatic efforts with various partners in Europe, America, and the Global South."I received a briefing from Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi, covering the situation in the eastern part of Ukraine, operations in the Kursk region, the ‘exchange fund,’ and the equipping of our brigades, particularly the reserves, with ammunition and weapons.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 18, 2024
In every direction, our… pic.twitter.com/sNQYb9JJ3k
“We’ve already expanded and will continue to expand the circle of those who support a just end to this war.”
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Air Force destroyed another strategic bridge over the Seym River in Russia's Kursk region, limiting the supply capacity of a Russian group opposing the Ukrainian advance, Ukraine's commander said on Sunday.
Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk posted a video on the Telegram messaging app on Sunday, showing a growing cloud from an explosion on a bridge and one of its sections destroyed.Ukraine 🇺🇦 is confirmed to have destroyed the 3rd and final bridge across the Seym River connecting Russian forces to the Glushkovsky District, Kursk
— Ukraine Battle Map (@ukraine_map) August 19, 2024
Russia can no longer bring supplies or equipment into or out of ~640km2, roughly the area Russia took in the past year in Ukraine pic.twitter.com/4VHt8MmN7i
He wrote: “Kursk direction. Minus one more bridge! Ukrainian Air Force aviation continues to deprive the enemy of logistical capabilities with precision air-strikes, which significantly affects the course of hostilities.”
Reuters news agency could not independently confirm the destruction of the bridge or the situation on the battlefield in Kursk. It also could not verify the date when the video was filmed.
However, Reuters was able to confirm the location of the bridge in Oleshchuk's video as in the village of Zvannoye in the Kursk region.
There was no immediate response from Moscow officials to Ukraine's reports. Some Russian military bloggers, including the prominent War Gonzo project, reported that Ukraine carried out an attack on the bridge in Zvannoye on Sunday.
A Russian military blogger close to the defense ministry who goes by the name "Rybar" said on the Telegram messaging app that the bridge was badly damaged, but did not collapse and can be used by pedestrians and, - in some cases, - light vehicles.
Earlier, military analysts said there were three bridges in the area of the Ukrainian army's offensive through which Russia supplies its forces and that two of them have been either destroyed or seriously damaged.
The bridge was the second one attacked by Ukraine since Friday.
Source: Reuters, Kyiv Independent, The Guardian
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