The Ukrainian military has targeted a second bridge in the Russian region of Kursk, near the Ukrainian border, in an effort to disrupt Moscow’s military operations in the area.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly addressed the attacks, which began on August 6, for the first time. He said that the goal is to create a “buffer zone” to “help prevent the expansion of the war” and to “destroy more Russian military assets.” According to a Zelenskyy advisor, as reported by CNN, the objectives also include ensuring a “fair” negotiation process.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said that Ukraine has moved over 120,000 soldiers to the border with Belarus. In response, he has ordered one-third of Belarus’s armed forces to be deployed to that area.
Due to the Ukrainian offensive, more than 130,000 residents have fled Kursk. The Ukrainian military has also captured over 150 prisoners of war and taken control of 1,000 square kilometers in the region, according to Ukrainian Army Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi.
Meanwhile, the Russian military continues its advance into Ukrainian territory. It has moved within 11 kilometers of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region, which is a key supply hub for the Ukrainian forces. Almost 1,800 residents have evacuated the city in the past week
