Ukraine’s top military commander announced on Monday that Ukrainian forces now control around 1,000 square kilometers of Russia’s Kursk region. This marks Ukraine’s largest cross-border attack since the full-scale war began over two years ago.
The announcement came from General Oleksandr Syrskyi, who reported on the ongoing operation in a video shared by President Volodymyr Zelensky. “We are continuing our offensive in the Kursk region and currently control approximately 1,000 square kilometers of Russian territory,” Syrskyi stated.
Ukraine’s president also mentioned that top officials are preparing a “humanitarian plan” for the area under Ukrainian control.
Russia’s acting governor of the Kursk region, Alexei Smirnov, confirmed that Ukraine has seized control of 28 settlements. The incursion has reportedly reached a depth of 12 kilometers and spans 40 kilometers wide.
In response, Zelensky has directed the defense ministry and diplomats to work on securing approval from Ukraine’s Western allies to use long-range weapons for strikes on Russian territory. Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov also urged France to lift its ban on Western weapon strikes against military targets in Russia during a recent call with his French counterpart, Sébastien Lecornu.