Ukraine controls 74 Russian settlements, claims Zelensky

Published August 14, 2024
A UKRAINIAN military vehicle moves towards the border from Russian territory in the Sumy region, carrying blindfolded men in Russian military uniform.—AFP
A UKRAINIAN military vehicle moves towards the border from Russian territory in the Sumy region, carrying blindfolded men in Russian military uniform.—AFP

KYIV: Ukraine now controls 74 settlements in Russia’s Kursk border region, the country’s president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday.

The governor of the Kursk region, where Ukraine is mounting a week-long incursion, previously said on Monday that Ukraine controls 28 settlements.

“There are 74 settlements under the control of Ukraine,” Zelensky said in his evening address. The president said that “despite difficult, intense fighting, the advance of our forces in the Kursk region continues.”

He said that Ukraine has been able to “replenish” its numbers of Russian POWs to exchange for its own troops and “preparation for our next steps cont­inues”.

He posted footage showing him holding a video call with military chief Oleksandr Syrsky. Syrsky tells him: “As of today, our troops have advanced in some areas by 1 to 3 kilometres.”

In the last day, Ukraine has taken control of “40 square kilometres of territory”, Syrsky adds, after saying that the troops hold around 1,000 square kilometres of Russian territory. “Fighting is ongoing along the entire front line. The situation is under control despite the high intensity of fighting,” Syrsky said.

Kyiv said on Tuesday its biggest cross-border assault of the war to date would prevent Russia from sending more troops to fight in its eastern Donetsk region and disrupt military logistics, and that Kyiv had no interest in occupying Russian territory.

Ukraine blindsided Moscow by pouring thousands of troops into the western Russian region of Kursk last week in a surprise operation that Kyiv says has seen its forces take 1,000 sq km of land, its largest gains since 2022.

“Unlike Russia, Ukraine does not need other people’s property. Ukraine is not interested in taking the territory of the Kursk region, but we want to protect the lives of our people,” Ukraine’s foreign ministry’s spokesman said.

Published in Dawn, August 14th, 2024

Opinion

Editorial

Kurram atrocity
Updated 22 Nov, 2024

Kurram atrocity

It would be a monumental mistake for the state to continue ignoring the violence in Kurram.
Persistent grip
22 Nov, 2024

Persistent grip

PAKISTAN has now registered 50 polio cases this year. We all saw it coming and yet there was nothing we could do to...
Green transport
22 Nov, 2024

Green transport

THE government has taken a commendable step by announcing a New Energy Vehicle policy aiming to ensure that by 2030,...
Military option
Updated 21 Nov, 2024

Military option

While restoring peace is essential, addressing Balochistan’s socioeconomic deprivation is equally important.
HIV/AIDS disaster
21 Nov, 2024

HIV/AIDS disaster

A TORTUROUS sense of déjà vu is attached to the latest health fiasco at Multan’s Nishtar Hospital. The largest...
Dubious pardon
21 Nov, 2024

Dubious pardon

IT is disturbing how a crime as grave as custodial death has culminated in an out-of-court ‘settlement’. The...