– In the Kursk region, we are moving forward. 1-2 kilometers in different directions since the start of the day, says Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj on Telegram on Wednesday afternoon. Zelenskyj says that they have taken around 100 Russian soldiers as prisoners of war. Ukraine now controls around 1,000 square kilometers of Russian territory in the regions of Kursk and Belgorod, writes Reuters. The news agency writes that the offensive has given Ukraine its biggest victory since it recaptured large amounts of Ukrainian territory in 2022. Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko says the aim is to create a “buffer zone” that will prevent attacks against Ukrainian villages near the border. On Wednesday, Zelenskyj had a meeting with other representatives of the authorities. They discussed the creation of safe evacuation routes for civilian Russians in Kursk and assistance to people in the areas. They also discussed the creation of a military administration in the areas of Russia that they control, Zelensky writes on Telegram. Ukrainian tanks roll across the border from Ukraine to Russia. The photo was taken at the border town of Sumy on 13 August. Photo: ROMAN PILIPEY / AFP – Very demanding and tense Earlier on Wednesday, the governor of the Belgorod region in southwestern Russia, on the border with Ukraine, declared a state of emergency. It happened after Ukraine bombarded the area with drones during the night. Over 100 drones and four missiles were shot down, Russia’s Ministry of Defense wrote on Telegram. – The situation in the Belgorod region is still very demanding and tense, said Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov in a video shared on Telegram. It is just over a week since Ukraine began a surprise offensive against Russia inside Russian territory. First in the Kursk region, then in Belgorod. Belgorod’s governor says daily artillery fire from Ukraine has destroyed houses and killed and wounded civilians. He also asked the government to declare a federal state of emergency. Ukrainian police and soldiers stood guard at a checkpoint in Belgorod on 12 August. Photo: Stringer / Reuters The Ukrainian authorities claim that their forces have taken control of 74 towns in Russia. In addition to drone and missile attacks, ground forces are trying to break through defense lines to take control of more Russian territory. – We feel an optimism In Kursk, over 120,000 Russians have already fled. Around 60,000 are in the process of fleeing, according to local authorities. In the neighboring region of Belgorod, over 10,000 have had to flee, according to the region. The offensive has stunned the outside world. Many Ukrainians, also outside the country, are proud of the soldiers and characterized by a new optimism. – Yes, after the war stagnated for a few months, we now feel an optimism, Yuliya Haugland. Haugland comes from Ukraine, but lives in Norway. She is a member of the Ukrainian Association in Norway. – We also think that the offensive has a symbolic meaning. It has exposed the weakness of Russian intelligence. Putin appears as someone who is unable to protect his own population, she says to news. Yuliya Haugland is a Ukrainian member of the Ukrainian Association in Norway. Photo: Hanna Johre / news Haugland believes it is fair that the war is moved to Russia because it was the Russians who started the war. Biden: – Dilemma for Putin For the first time, US President Joe Biden has commented on Ukraine’s offensive in Russia: – What is happening creates a real dilemma for Putin, said Biden. The US president says that he is well informed about the offensive, but that the US is not giving Ukraine any help. Russian President Vladimir Putin, for his part, has said that he believes Ukraine has two goals with the offensive: To strengthen its position before any negotiations on a ceasefire. To weaken Russia’s offensive inside Ukraine. Russian President Putin in conversation with the governor of Kursk, Alexei Smirnov. Photo: GAVRIIL GRIGOROV / AFP The Ukrainian offensive began on 6 August. It came as a great surprise to the Russians. They have hastily deployed reserve forces, tanks, air support, artillery and drones to try to halt the Ukrainian advance. In recent days, Russia has been forced to withdraw parts of its forces from the front around the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, in order to come to the aid of the regions of Kursk and Belgorod. Will not occupy Russian war bloggers report fierce battles along the front in Kursk, and that Ukrainian forces are trying to take control of several areas, but that Russia has repulsed some of the attacks. Queuing with Russians entering a bus. The photo is from Belovsky in the Kursk region on August 12. Photo: AP The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights is concerned about the Russian civilians in the areas where fighting is taking place. Protecting civilians must always have the highest priority, they write in a statement. However, Ukraine has no plans to occupy Russian territory, according to a spokesperson for the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi has also emphasized that the offensive is about ensuring Ukraine’s security, as Russia has carried out many airstrikes against Ukraine from the Kursk region. Published 14.08.2024, at 07.09 Updated 14.08.2024, at 18.59
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Zelenskyj claims Ukraine is moving forward – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
