Ukrainian sources have reported that thousands of troops have been deployed in an incursion into Russia’s Kursk province, marking a significant escalation in the conflict. This operation aims to destabilize Russia and stretch its defenses through rapid, light attacks. The Ukrainian security official who spoke to Agence France-Presse indicated that the operation involved “thousands” of troops, though Russia claimed only several hundred Ukrainian soldiers were involved. The incursion has reportedly breached limited Russian border defenses and reached up to 20 kilometers (12 miles) inside Kursk.
The move comes amid ongoing tensions over the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which Russia has occupied since early in the war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy accused Russian forces of starting a fire in one of the plant’s cooling towers, though radiation levels remain normal. Russia’s state nuclear energy company, Rosatom, reported that the main fire had been extinguished, while both Russian and Ukrainian authorities noted damage to one of the cooling towers.
Zelenskiy has acknowledged Ukraine’s incursion into Kursk, describing it as a strategic effort to relieve pressure on the eastern Donbas front and demonstrate Ukraine’s offensive capabilities. Meanwhile, Russia’s defense ministry claimed to have repelled attacks in several villages near the border and accused Ukraine of “terrorist activity.” The Institute for the Study of War noted that Russia’s response to the incursion might exacerbate disorganization within its forces, with the counter-terrorism operation likely now under the FSB’s control.
The conflict has also seen further violence, with a missile attack near Kyiv resulting in the deaths of a man and his young son. This escalation underscores the ongoing intensity and complexity of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia.
