Ukrainian President indirectly admits to incursion into Russian territory

Days after Ukraine launched a surprise military invasion of Russia’s Kursk border, President Volodymyr Zelensky has broken his government’s silence, implicitly acknowledging ongoing military operations aimed at “shifting the war into the aggressor’s territory.”

Zelensky’s comments came during his evening speech late on Saturday evening.

Ukraine’s invasion of Russia continued into its sixth day on Sunday. It is the largest such attack since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, and is unprecedented for its use of Ukrainian military units on Russian soil. Ukraine’s airstrike into Russia caught Moscow by surprise and was an embarrassment to Russian military leaders who had been trying to contain the breach.

The evacuation of civilians living on the Russia-Ukraine border continued Sunday. Russian state television broadcast footage of evacuees in a tent camp in the city of Kursk. More than 20 temporary accommodation centers have been set up in the region, according to a report by RTR.

The exact objectives of the operation remain unclear, and Ukrainian military officials have adopted a policy of secrecy, likely to ensure its success. Military experts have said it is likely aimed at drawing Russian reserves away from intense fighting in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, while a presidential adviser has suggested it could strengthen Kiev’s position in future negotiations with Russia.

However, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Sunday that Ukraine “perfectly understands” that the latest attacks “make no sense from a military point of view.”

“The regime in Kiev continues its terrorist activities, the sole purpose of which is to intimidate the peaceful population of Russia,” she added.

Zelensky reiterated his call for Western allies to increase aid to Ukraine, saying that “to truly stop Russian terror, we need not only a full-fledged air shield that will protect all our cities and communities, but also decisive decisions by partners — decisions that will remove the limitations on our defensive actions.”

In Russia, the governor of Kursk Oblast said a Ukrainian missile shot down by Russian air defenses fell on a residential building, injuring 15 people.

Acting Kursk Governor Alexei Smirnov said on Sunday that a “Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group” had entered the Belovsky district the previous day but that the situation had been “stabilized.”

Ukraine has not commented on Sunday’s drone strikes in Russia. But they come as Ukraine has increased the pace of similar drone attacks, largely targeting military infrastructure and oil fields, in recent weeks.

Kullab writes for the Associated Press.