Ukraine’s top military commander says his forces are now in control of nearly 400 square miles in the Kursk border region, while an embarrassed Vladimir Putin vowed to “kick the enemy out.”
Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi announced the progress in Kursk Monday in a video posted on social media by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy — the first time Kyiv has commented on the days-long fighting on Russian soil.
“The troops are fulfilling their tasks,” Syrskyi said. “Fighting continues actually along the entire front line. The situation is under our control.”
Zelenskyy praised Syrskyi and his troops “for their steadfastness and decisive actions” in Kursk, where the Ukrainian army has reportedly seized dozens of Russian villages in the surprise cross-border incursion that has left Putin scrambling to respond.
Aleksey Smirnov, the acting chief of the Kursk region, told the Kremlin that at least 28 settlements have been captured by Ukraine, with their forces now operating as deep as 7.5 miles into Russia.
Putin, who condemned the attack that began on Aug. 6, suggested the assault was a means for Ukraine to gain leverage in possible peace talks.
“But what kind of negotiations can we even talk about with people who indiscriminately strike at civilians, at civilian infrastructure, or try to create threats to nuclear power facilities. What can we even talk about with them?” Putin told his defense officials on Monday.
The Russian president’s claims could not be independently verified.
“It’s obvious that the enemy will keep trying to destabilize the situation in the border zone to try to destabilize the domestic political situation in our country,” Putin said, vowing to “kick the enemy out” of Russia.
Ukraine’s goal in Kursk remains unclear, as the operation marks the largest offensive on Russian soil since World War II and could result in a major counterattack from the Kremlin.
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Russia’s Defense Ministry said Monday that reinforcements have already been deployed, backed by air force and artillery units, to fight off the Ukrainian forces.
Experts have speculated that the incursion is meant to deliver a blow to Russian propaganda downplaying the war. The offensive could also force Moscow to divert its troops that have been making steady advancements in Ukraine.
It’s also unclear if Kyiv is using NATO-supplied weapons in the Kursk offensive after Russian media claimed American- and German-armored infantry vehicles were among those being used.
US officials did not respond to the claims although Ukraine has utilized American-made weapons on Russian soil in previous strikes.
German Defense Ministry spokesperson Arne Collatz said the use of its nation’s weapons in Russia was legal.
“[Experts agree that] international law provides for a state that is defending itself also to defend itself on the territory of the attacker,” Collatz said in a statement. “That is clear from our point of view, too.”
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani however, said their weapons “cannot be used to attack Russia on its territory.”
With Post wires
