Kyiv: Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that the Ukrainian military now controls 74 settlements in the Kursk border region of Russia.
The Kursk region’s governor had previously reported on Monday that 28 settlements were under Ukrainian control. However, in his Tuesday evening address, Zelensky announced, “Ukraine now has 74 settlements under its control.”
Despite challenging and intense combat, Zelensky affirmed that Ukrainian forces continue to make progress in the Kursk region. He shared a video call with military chief Oleksandr Syrsky, who reported, “Our troops have pushed forward by 1 to 3 km in some areas as of today.”
The cross-border operation into the Kursk border region by Ukraine commenced on August 6. By August 12, Ukraine claimed sovereignty over 1,000 square kilometres of Russian territory. The Kursk region spans nearly 30,000 square kilometres, comparable in size to Maryland in the US or Brandenburg in Germany.
On August 12, regional authorities in Russia acknowledged that Ukraine had control over 28 settlements within the Kursk region and suggested that the incursion extended up to 12 km deep along a 40 km front. On Tuesday, Ukrainian Military Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi indicated that the Ukrainian Armed Forces had advanced another 3 km and secured an additional 40 square kilometres of Russian territory.
Zelensky mentioned he remains in constant communication with Syrskyi regarding the Kursk situation. “The advance of our forces in the Kursk region persists despite the tough, intense battles,” he stated. Zelensky also mentioned that “humanitarian solutions for these territories” are being developed.
