By KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Sunday that the ongoing military incursion into Russia’s Kursk region aims to establish a buffer zone to prevent further attacks by Moscow across the border.
“It is now our primary task in defensive operations overall: to destroy as much Russian war potential as possible and conduct maximum counteroffensive actions. This includes creating a buffer zone on the aggressor’s territory – our operation in the Kursk region,” Zelenskyy said in his nightly address.
The operation, which began on August 6, has seen Ukrainian forces advance into Russian territory, reportedly capturing numerous villages and prisoners. Ukrainian Commander in Chief, Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, claimed last week that his forces had advanced across 1,000 square kilometers (390 square miles) of the region, though this could not be independently verified.
Over the weekend, Ukraine targeted key infrastructure in Kursk. Ukrainian forces destroyed a bridge on the Seim River near the town of Glushkovo and struck a second bridge nearby, according to Ukrainian and Russian officials. Lt. Gen. Mykola Oleshchuk, Ukraine’s air force chief, released video footage of an airstrike cutting the first bridge in two.
Russian military bloggers acknowledged that the bridge destruction would impede supply deliveries to Russian forces in the area. According to Russia’s Mash news site, the attacks left only one intact bridge in the vicinity, potentially complicating Moscow’s efforts to replenish its forces and evacuate civilians.
Zelenskyy urged Kyiv’s allies on Saturday to lift remaining restrictions on using Western weapons to attack targets deeper in Russia. “It is crucial that our partners remove barriers that hinder us from weakening Russian positions in the way this war demands,” he said on social media platform X.
The Ukrainian president’s statements come as Russia appears to have increased attacks on Kyiv. The capital was reportedly targeted with ballistic missiles on Sunday for the third time this month, according to Serhii Popko, head of the municipal military administration. Popko stated that Ukrainian air defenses intercepted all missiles in both Sunday attacks.
As the conflict intensifies, both sides seek to establish buffer zones. Russian President Vladimir Putin stated in May that Moscow’s offensive in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region aimed to create a buffer zone in response to Ukrainian shelling of Russia’s Belgorod region.
The ongoing incursion into Kursk has demonstrated Ukraine’s ability to seize initiative and has boosted morale following a failed counteroffensive last summer. However, analysts caution that consolidating gains inside Russia could be risky due to Ukraine’s limited resources and potentially vulnerable supply lines.
As the situation continues to develop, international observers are closely monitoring the potential for escalation and the impact on diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict.
