"Despite the difficult and fierce battles, our forces continue to advance in the Kursk region... 74 settlements are now under Ukrainian control," said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Speaking via video link, the Ukrainian leader asked the country's Chief of Staff, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, to set out the next "important steps" in the operation. "Everything is proceeding according to plan," Syrskyi replied without further explanation.
Ukrainian forces have stated they will continue their advance in the Kursk border region of Russia. (Photo: Reuters)
However, Kyiv's statement contradicts the Russian report, in which Major General Apti Alaudinov said Ukrainian troops had been stopped. "The enemy's uncontrolled advance has been halted," said Alaudinov, commander of the Chechen Akhmat special forces unit.
Specifically, he stated that Russian forces attacked Ukrainian troops on Tuesday with missiles, drones, and artillery, thereby halting Ukraine's advance. Russian military bloggers have reported on fierce battles across the Kursk front.
The Russian Ministry of Defense released images of Sukhoi Su-34 bombers attacking what they claimed were Ukrainian troops in the Kursk border region and said they repelled attacks on villages approximately 26-28 km from the border.
The Russian Defense Ministry said that Russian forces destroyed a total of 35 tanks, 31 armored personnel carriers, 18 infantry fighting vehicles, and 179 other armored vehicles belonging to Ukraine during the week-long battle.
Russia claims to have repelled Ukraine's advance in Kursk. Photo: TASS
A week after the surprise offensive began, Kursk region governor Alexei Smirnov urged residents not to panic. He said on Monday that Ukraine controlled only 28 settlements in the region and that the incursion extended approximately 12 kilometers deep and 40 kilometers wide. Ukraine claims control of 1,000 square kilometers of Russian territory, more than double Russia's figure.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has vowed to respond to Ukraine with a "worthy response" and accused Kyiv's Western allies of aiding Ukraine. At the United Nations, Russia criticized Ukraine's allies for failing to condemn the invasion.
In his initial comments, U.S. President Joe Biden said Washington was in regular contact with Kyiv regarding this operation. "This is creating a real dilemma for (President) Putin," Biden said.
In Kursk, 121,000 people have left or been evacuated, and another 59,000 are in the process of being evacuated, according to local officials. In Russia's Belgorod region, which borders Kursk, 11,000 civilians have also been evacuated, according to the region's governor.
Hoang Anh (according to TASS, Reuters)
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/ukraine-tuyen-bo-tiep-tiep-tien-quan-o-kursk-nga-phan-cong-du-doi-post307571.html
