Moscow Reports Ukrainian Forces 30km Inside Russia; Zelenskyy Confirms Kursk Infiltration

A day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly acknowledged the invasion of Kursk, the Russian defense ministry reported that Ukrainian troops have advanced up to 30 kilometers into Russian territory. This incursion is being described as the deepest and most significant penetration of Russian soil since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The Russian defense ministry announced that its forces have engaged Ukrainian troops near the villages of Tolpino and Obshchy Kolodez. The conflict in the Kursk region has now entered its sixth day, prompting the Kremlin to declare a “federal level” emergency in the area.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova condemned Zelenskyy’s admission, accusing Kyiv of “intimidating the peaceful population of Russia.”

Zelenskyy acknowledged the Kursk invasion on Saturday, framing it as a move to restore justice following Russia’s attack on Ukraine. The operation, which began on Tuesday with about 1,000 Ukrainian troops infiltrating the Kursk region, has targeted key Russian infrastructure and led to the evacuation of 7,000 people.

In his nightly video address, Zelenskyy reaffirmed his commitment to countering the Russian aggression. He noted discussions with top Ukrainian military officer Oleksandr Syrskyi, stating, “Today, I received several reports from commander-in-chief Syrskyi regarding the front lines and our actions to push the war onto the aggressor’s territory.” Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine is demonstrating its ability to achieve justice and apply pressure on the aggressor. His acknowledgment came after Russia announced the use of a thermobaric bomb against Ukrainian forces and launched a “counter-terrorism” operation.

The Russian defense ministry reported that its forces had successfully repelled attempts by Ukrainian mobile groups with armored vehicles to advance further into Russian territory. This update followed Ukrainian claims of capturing several settlements in the Kursk region, with footage showing Ukrainian troops removing Russian flags from buildings in Guevo, located 3 kilometers inside Russia. Other videos displayed Ukrainian forces taking control of administrative buildings in Sverdlikovo and Poroz, prompting the evacuation of 76,000 people from the region.

Ukrainian MP Oleksiy Goncharenko praised the operation, suggesting that it brings Ukraine “much closer to peace than one hundred peace summits.” He remarked, “When Russia needs to fight back on their own territory, when Russian people are running, when people care, that’s the only way to show them stop this war.”

In response, Russia launched an airstrike on Kyiv. Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that air defense systems successfully repelled the attack, although debris from a downed Russian missile killed a four-year-old boy and his 35-year-old father. Zelenskyy condemned the strike on X, formerly known as Twitter, stating, “A father and his young son, just four years old, were tragically killed in the Kyiv region by a Russian strike. My deepest condolences to their family and loved ones. Three other people were injured, including a 12-year-old boy.” He added that preliminary information suggests the use of a North Korean missile, labeling it as another “deliberate terrorist strike against Ukraine” and calling for increased support from Ukraine’s Western allies.