According to the government in Kiev, the offensive by Ukrainian troops in Russia’s Kursk Oblast is necessary to convince Russia to enter into peace talks.
“We must inflict significant tactical defeats on Russia,” Mykhailo Podolyak, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff, wrote on Telegram’s text messaging service on Friday.
“In the Kursk region, we can clearly see how military means are being used in a targeted manner to convince the Russian Federation to start a fair negotiation process.” Ukrainian troops unexpectedly crossed the border on August 6 and advanced to Kursk. According to their own information, they have since captured more than 1,000 square kilometers of land.
Ukraine has already assured that it does not want to permanently occupy Russian territory. “The sooner Russia agrees to establish a just peace, the sooner the attacks of the Ukrainian army in Russia will stop,” a spokesman for the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday. Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine of wanting to use his action to improve its “bargaining position” in future talks.
Putin comes under increasing pressure
The operation in Russia is also seen as an unmasking of Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin, who has been in power for 25 years. After starting his war of aggression against Ukraine almost two and a half years ago, the Russian president repeatedly promised security to the people of the world’s largest country. Putin became head of government on August 17, 1999, and then president. This Saturday he will be in power for a quarter of a century. The anniversary is now overshadowed by the Kursk offensive.
The Ukrainian ground offensive in Kursk has increased the pressure on Russian soldiers. Putin opponents, armed from Kiev, are now calling on people to switch sides. “Your political instructors, sitting in the warm back room, strongly advise not to become prisoners of war, but to blow yourself up with your own grenade,” the fighters of the Legion of “Freedom of Russia” wrote on Telegram. But it is better to live than to die for an order from your superior. Anyone who wants to fight for a “normal future for Russia” can also switch sides and join the Legion. “We are ready to communicate with anyone who expresses a desire to take up arms against the Kremlin,” the call read.
One dead in attack on shopping mall in Donetsk
A particularly violent attack shook the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk. According to local authorities, a shopping mall was hit. Russian state news agency Tass, citing emergency services, reported at least two dead and seven wounded in Donetsk. Video footage distributed by Russian agency Ria Novosti showed thick clouds of smoke billowing from a completely burned-out building.
The fire in the shopping center “Galaktika” was the result of an attack by the Ukrainian armed forces, the head of the Russian-annexed Donetsk region, Denis Pushilin, wrote on his Telegram channel. An area of more than 10,000 square meters is on fire. A hospital was also hit. According to local authorities, the district where the shopping center is located was the target of artillery fire from the Ukrainian army. The information could not be independently verified.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
