Zelensky Confirms Ukrainian Military Operations on Russian Soil

Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, acknowledged for the first time on Saturday, August 20, that Ukrainian forces are fighting in a surprise attack in Kursk, inside Russian territory. This comes as attacks on border areas continue and officials have begun evacuating residents. Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, described Ukraine's attack on Kursk, which military analysts say surprised the Kremlin, as a major provocation. Russian forces were on the sixth day of intense battles against the largest Kyiv offensive into Russian territory since the war began, which has made southwestern Russia vulnerable. The fighting near the Kursk nuclear power plant has raised concerns about a nuclear explosion, prompting the International Atomic Energy Agency to call for restraint from both sides around the plant. On Saturday, Russia implemented extensive security measures in three border regions. Meanwhile, Belarus, a staunch ally of Moscow, has sent more troops to the Ukrainian border and accused Kyiv of violating its airspace. In his evening video address, Zelensky stated that he had spoken with Oleksandr Syrskiy, the chief commander of Ukraine, and promised to restore justice following Russia's attack on its smaller neighbor in Esfand 1400 (March 2022). Zelensky said, 'Today I received several reports from Commander-in-Chief Syrskiy regarding the front line and actions to advance the war into the aggressor's territory. Ukraine is proving that it can restore justice and exert the necessary pressure on the aggressor.' The Russian Defense Ministry announced on Sunday that 14 Ukrainian drones and four Tochka-U tactical ballistic missiles were destroyed over the Kursk region in the past 24 hours, along with 18 drones over other areas of Russia that Ukraine frequently targets. Valery Gerasimov, a senior Russian general, stated on Wednesday that the attacks had stopped, but Russia had not pushed Ukrainian forces back from the border. Russian military bloggers claim that the situation has stabilized following Russian reinforcements, although they say Ukraine is rapidly increasing its forces. Early on Sunday, August 21, Kursk officials reported that 13 people were injured in the city after a Ukrainian missile struck a nine-story residential building. It is unclear if further damage has occurred. Moscow and Kyiv rarely disclose the full extent of damage from attacks unless there is harm or damage to residential buildings. Alexey Smirnov, the acting governor of Kursk, ordered local officials to expedite the evacuation of civilians in at-risk areas. The state news agency TASS reported on Saturday that over 76,000 people have been evacuated. The incursion of Ukrainian forces into Russian territory has prompted Vladimir Putin to call for an investigation into the conditions. The documentary 'Invasion,' a film about the daily lives of Ukrainians amid the Russian military invasion, highlights the ongoing severe battles between Russian and Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region. Russia is training to purchase and use Iranian ballistic missiles; the White House states that the security cooperation between Russia and Iran threatens Europe. Following Ukraine's attack on Kursk, Russia declared a state of emergency in the region. Ukraine stated that the participation of a Russian representative in the second peace meeting does not mean negotiations with Moscow. The war continues in the Kursk region; Zelensky praised the Ukrainian army's ability to surprise. A major attack by Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region of Russia has occurred. A Russian attack on a supermarket in eastern Ukraine left 14 dead. Ukraine claims to have sunk a Russian military submarine. Zelensky stated that Ukraine has finally received F-16 fighter jets.