Ukraine plans to hold Kursk Oblast territories "indefinitely" – Zelenskyy
The Armed Forces of Ukraine will hold the territories seized in Russia's Kursk Oblast until Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin comes to the negotiating table.
Source: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an interview with NBC News
Details: The President said that Ukraine plans to hold the seized Russian territories for an indefinite period in an attempt to force Russian leader Vladimir Putin to come to the negotiating table.
He said that holding this territory is an integral part of the "victory plan". "For now, we need it," Zelenskyy said, but added that in general, Ukraine "does not need Russian land" and "does not want to bring our Ukrainian way of life there".
Zelenskyy said he could not discuss whether the Armed Forces plan to try to seize more Russian territory.
Quote: "I won't tell, I'm sorry, I can't speak about it. This is like the beginning of our, this Kursk operation. With all respect, I can't speak about it. I think that success is very close to a surprise."
Details: Zelenskyy also said that even US President Joe Biden’s administration had not known about the Kursk operation and that it had been a closely guarded secret within Ukraine itself.
Background:
- The Kursk Oblast operation began on 6 August. On 10 August – day five of the Ukrainian army's offensive deep into Russia – President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged that Ukraine had brought the war to Russian territory.
- On 13 August, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, reported that Ukraine’s defence forces controlled 74 settlements in Kursk Oblast. On the afternoon of 15 August, Syrskyi said the Armed Forces of Ukraine had advanced up to 1.5 km on some axes in Kursk Oblast since the beginning of the day and controlled 82 settlements in Russia.
- On 15 August, sources in the Security Service of Ukraine told Ukrainska Pravda they had captured 102 Russian soldiers in Kursk Oblast the day before.
- Ukrainian troops shared footage of the first few hours of the operation. The video shows mine clearance, a border breach, the destruction of enemy defences, operations by aircraft and artillery, and prisoners being taken.
- Later, the 80th Air Assault Brigade of Ukraine’s Armed Forces shared footage from the early hours of the military operation in Russia's Kursk Oblast in which troops breached the defence line, destroyed a border checkpoint, and captured over 50 prisoners.
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