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Ukrainian forces are still “advancing further” into the Russian border region of Kursk as Moscow scrambled to open hundreds of shelters amid a mass evacuation.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a Washington-based think tank, said geolocated footage showed that despite Russian claims that the cross-border assault had stabilised, Kyiv’s forces were still pushing forwards.
Russia’s emergency ministry said 400 temporary shelters across the country had been opened to house around 30,000 people forced to flee Ukraine’s offensive which began last week.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian military chief General Oleksandr Syrskyi claimed his troops had taken nearly 390 square miles of territory in Kursk, a huge portion of land in just a week.
Such a gain, if true, would mean his forces have taken almost three times as much territory in the past week than they did during their entire roughly three month counteroffensive last summer, according to estimates.
“The troops are fulfilling their tasks. Fighting continues actually along the entire frontline,” the general said. “The situation is under our control.”
Key Points
- Ukrainian troops still advancing into Russia
- Zelensky vows war is ‘coming home’ to Russia - IN FULL
- Mapped: Ukraine’s cross-border attack
- Ukraine locks down civilians near Russian border over sabotage fears
- Russia steps up assaults on Pokrovsk front in Ukraine's east
Ukraine hopes to deter Russian troops in shock cross-border assault
Ukraine said on Tuesday its biggest cross-border assault of the war to date would prevent Russia sending more troops to fight in its eastern Donetsk region and disrupt military logistics, and that Kyiv had no interest in occupying Russian territory.
Ukraine blindsided Moscow by pouring thousands of troops into the western Russian region of Kursk last week in a surprise operation that Kyiv says has seen its forces take 1,000 sq km of land, its largest gains since 2022.
“Unlike Russia, Ukraine does not need other people’s property. Ukraine is not interested in taking the territory of the Kursk region, but we want to protect the lives of our people,” Ukraine’s foreign ministry’s spokesman said.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said Ukrainian forces have taken control of areas in the Kursk region that Russia has used to launch more than two thousand cross-border strikes on Ukraine since June.
“It should be emphasized that the operation ... helps the front line because it does not allow Russia to transfer additional units to (Ukraine’s) Donetsk region, complicates its military logistics,” foreign ministry spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi said.
Holly Evans13 August 2024 18:30 1723566642Putin’s greatest fear is coming true – and he’s panicking
Throughout its war with Russia, Ukraine has shown a remarkable capacity to take its much bigger invader by surprise. Since its repulse of Russia’s onslaught in February 2022, the Ukrainians have scored morale-boosting hits on their enemy.
Last week’s sudden incursion into Russian territory is, however, much more dramatic than previous Ukrainian coups. It came as Western military commentators seemed to agree that Vladimir Putin was winning a brutal war of attrition against his smaller neighbour, maybe forcing Ukraine to accept his demands in the coming months. So, the West was as surprised as the Kremlin by recent events.
In an address on Sunday, the Russian leader accused Ukraine of breaking “all permissible boundaries” after they grabbed up to 95 square miles of land and forced thousands of civilians to evacuate in the process.
Alexander Butler13 August 2024 17:30 1723563042Thousands of Ukraine troops ready to defend land captured in daring attack into Russia
This isn’t a short jaunt into Russia as a propaganda exercise,” a colonel connected to the general staff of Ukraine’s army says of Ukraine’s surprise attack on Russian soil. “This operation has been long in the planning and has serious aims and Ukrainian forces will stay for some time in Russia.”
Backing up the colonel’s assessment, an official who has worked for Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky’s administration as an adviser and in a variety of other important roles, says the Kursk assault will not be a brief incursion but is likely to broaden its scope with the intention of holding onto captured territory.
He said that thousands more troops – potentially several brigades – are standing by, “including some of the best, most experienced troops and brigades” to fight.
Alexander Butler13 August 2024 16:30 1723559426Ukraine 'not interested in taking Russian territory'
Ukraine is not interested in “taking over” territory in Russia, its foreign ministry has said.
Spokesman Georgiy Tykhy also described Ukraine’s week-old invasion of the Kursk area as “absolutely legitimate”.
“Ukraine is not interested in taking over the territory of the Kursk region,” he added.
Alexander Butler13 August 2024 15:30 1723555826Two killed by Ukrainian shelling in Lysychansk,
Two people were killed when Ukrainian forces shelled a bus with civilians in the Russian-held city of Lysychansk in eastern Ukraine on Tuesday, the TASS news agency cited Russian-appointed local authorities as saying.
Russian-installed officials earlier said that more than 30 people had been wounded in the attack.
Alexander Butler13 August 2024 14:30 1723553834Ukrainian troops still advancing into Russia
Ukrainian forces are still “advancing further” into the Russian border region of Kursk as Moscow scrambled to open hundreds of shelters amid a mass evacuation.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a Washington-based think tank, said geolocated footage showed that despite Russian claims that the cross-border assault had stabilised, Kyiv’s forces were still pushing forwards.
Russia’s emergency ministry said 400 temporary shelters across the country had been opened to house around 30,000 people forced to flee Ukraine’s offensive which began last week.
Alexander Butler13 August 2024 13:57 1723552190Romania defuses stray mine on its Black Sea shore
Romania’s navy carried out a controlled explosion on Tuesday of a mine that had drifted to its Black Sea shore, the defence ministry have reported.
Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey have a joint taskforce to defuse stray mines, which began floating in the Black Sea after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.
The ministry said the navy was alerted by local officials early on Tuesday about an unidentified object that had washed up on shore near Grindul Chituc in southeastern Romania. The area is part of the Danube Delta, which Romania shares with Ukraine.
“By examining photographs taken on site, the object is most likely an anti-landing seamine of the YaRM type,” the ministry said in a statement. The mine was detonated at around 0950 GMT, the ministry added.
The Black Sea is crucial for shipments of grain, oil and oil products and is shared by Bulgaria, Romania, Georgia and Turkey, as well as Ukraine and Russia.
Since the war started, more than 100 drifting mines have been discovered and destroyed, the Romanian navy has said.
Tom Watling13 August 2024 13:29 1723550450On Geneva Conventions' 75th anniversary, fighters in Gaza, Ukraine and beyond ignore rulebook of war
On Geneva Conventions' 75th anniversary, fighters in Gaza, Ukraine and beyond ignore rulebook of war
At its 75th anniversary, the world’s best-known rulebook on the protection of civilians, detainees and wounded soldiers in war has been widely ignored and its defenders are seeking a new commitment to international humanitarian law
Tom Watling13 August 2024 13:00 1723548530EU sends ‘crucial’ £3.6bn in financial aid to Ukraine
The European Union has sent €4.2 billion (£3.6bn) in “crucial” financial aid to Ukraine, taking the total value of bloc support for Kyiv to €12 billion.
Ukrainian prime minister Denys Shmhyal expressed gratitude to the bloc for actioning the payment and announced that Kyiv has received the funds.
“This assistance is crucial to maintain our macro-financial stability, advance recovery and drive key reforms,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Tom Watling13 August 2024 12:28 1723548410Russian soldiers on the frontline in Kursk - pictured
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