President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced that the Ukrainian military currently controls 74 settlements in Russia's Kursk Oblast.
This pivotal development comes as part of Ukraine's cross-border incursion into neighboring Kursk Oblast, which began on August 6.
By August 12, Ukraine had asserted control over 1,000 square kilometers of Russian territory. Kursk Oblast, covering nearly 30,000 square kilometers, is comparable in size to the U.S. state of Maryland or the German state of Brandenburg.
Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi reported on August 13 that Ukraine's Armed Forces advanced 3 kilometers and secured an additional 40 square kilometers of Russian territory.
Zelensky emphasized his constant communication with Syrskyi regarding the situation in Kursk, stating, "Despite the difficult, intense battles, the advance of our forces in Kursk Oblast continues."
The incursion into Kursk Oblast and strikes in Crimea are seen as strategic moves to alleviate pressure on Ukrainian forces in the Donbas region, where they face severe manpower and ammunition shortages.
Ukraine's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi explained that the operation aims to prevent Moscow from sending reinforcements to the front in Donbas and to halt Russian cross-border strikes.
Tykhyi noted, "Since the beginning of this summer, Ukraine's Sumy Oblast has been targeted with over 2,000 strikes using multiple launch rocket systems, mortars, drones, 255 guided bombs, and more than a hundred missiles, launched from Kursk Oblast."
Zelensky reiterated that Ukraine's objective is not territorial conquest but the protection of its people. "Unlike Russia, Ukraine does not seek to seize territory. We want to protect the lives of our people," Tykhyi stated. The Ukrainian president also highlighted the establishment of "humanitarian solutions for these territories" under Ukrainian control.
This bold move by Ukraine has broader implications, including potential impacts on gas flows to Europe. Despite the ongoing conflict, both Kyiv and Moscow have indicated no intention of halting gas transmissions to Europe, even near key cross-border transit points in Kursk Oblast.
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