kyiv claims to continue its incursion into Russian soil

The Ukrainian army launched a major offensive on August 6 in the Kursk region, which, according to kyiv, allowed it to seize 82 localities and 1,150 square kilometers.

Ukraine said on Friday, August 16, that it was continuing its unprecedented advance in the Russian region of Kursk. kyiv thus claims to want to force Moscow to begin negotiations. “fair” after almost two and a half years of war, according to a message published Friday, August 16 on X by Mykhailo Podoliak, advisor to President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The Ukrainian army attacked the Kursk region on August 6, seizing, according to kyiv, 82 localities and 1,150 square kilometers. “The troops of the attack group continue the fight and have advanced in some sectors by one to three kilometers”said Ukrainian Army Commander Oleksandr Syrsky during a meeting with the Ukrainian president broadcast on Friday evening, August 16. General Syrsky claimed that Ukrainian forces continued to take Russian soldiers prisoner, and Volodymyr Zelensky rejoiced in the evening about the “destruction” of Russian positions in the area.

kyiv says it has captured in particular the town of Sudja, located 10 kilometres from the border and where there is an important gas hub of the Russian giant Gazprom, which supplies Europe via Ukraine.

Earlier on Friday, the Kremlin’s army had again assured “push back” Ukrainian offensives. Russian forces are maintaining their pressure further south, in the Ukrainian Donbass, where they have had the advantage for several months over kyiv’s outnumbered forces.

Separately, Russian authorities announced Friday that they would evacuate and block access to five villages located near the Ukrainian border in the Belgorod region, which borders Kursk. “From August 19, we are blocking access to five localities, evacuating residents and helping to move goods”Belgorod Region Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Telegram. He also said that access to a sixth village will also be “temporarily” forbidden.