REPORTAGE. Near Kursk in Russia, Ukrainian soldiers continue their advance with “pride” and “a sense of justice”

Nearly two weeks after its surprise offensive, Ukraine “reinforces” its positions in Russia, in the Kursk region, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. In recent hours, kyiv has nibbled away at a few more square kilometers of Russian land. An operation that gives new heart to the Ukrainian soldiers, encountered on the road leading to the border area partly conquered by Ukraine.

They entered Russia and they are proud of it. Along the road leading to the border, we come across this soldier who agrees to talk. When he entered enemy territory a few days ago, he explains that he thought of his Ukrainian compatriots, those who live or have lived under occupation. : “Now it’s up to the Russians to experience this. They couldn’t understand what the people of Kharkiv, Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson experienced. So what do I feel today? ? A sense of justice.”

“There is a saying that goes: War always returns to where it began.”

Ukrainian soldier, Kursk region, Russia

franceinfo

The war is now also in Russia and it must continue, another soldier tells us. According to him, Ukraine must continue to advance into Russian territory to force Moscow to redeploy part of its troops to this border region. : “The more we advance here, the more we attract them here. This way, it will be less hard for our guys on other fronts in Donbass or in the Zaporizhzhia region, where there is a high concentration of Russian troops.”

The operation is far from over, judging by the number of men and armoured vehicles heading towards the border.