Kursk Attack Pressures Russia and Seeks to ‘Restore Justice’

Ukraine launches a surprise attack into Russia’s Kursk region. The move caught Moscow off-guard, sparking a tense response from both Russia and Belarus.

In a bold move, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy confirmed that Ukraine has launched an attack into Russian territory. The attack targeted Russia’s western Kursk region, marking Kyiv’s biggest push into Russia since the war started. Zelenskiy called the attack a step to "restore justice" and put pressure on Moscow’s forces.

The surprise attack left parts of southwestern Russia open to danger. Moscow’s forces were caught off-guard, entering their sixth day of heavy fighting against Ukrainian troops. The sudden move forced Russia to send reinforcements quickly to the area. In response, Russian authorities hurried to evacuate residents and put in place strict security measures across three border regions.

Belarus, a close ally of Moscow, also reacted quickly. It sent more troops to its border with Ukraine, accusing Kyiv of violating its airspace. This move made things even more tense.

During his nightly address, Zelenskiy spoke about the operation with top Ukrainian commander Oleksandr Syrskyi. He promised to respond strongly after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which started in February 2022. Zelenskiy stressed Ukraine’s determination to push the war back onto Russian soil, saying, “Ukraine is showing that it can indeed restore justice and is putting on the right kind of pressure—pressure on the aggressor.”

Russia’s defense ministry said it had destroyed 14 Ukrainian drones and four Tochka-U tactical ballistic missiles over the Kursk region. It also shot down 18 drones over other regions often attacked by Ukraine. Despite these claims, Russian forces have not managed to push the Ukrainian troops back across the border.

Military bloggers noted that the situation had settled down after Russia's reinforcements arrived. However, they also warned that Ukraine was quickly gathering its forces, keeping the tension high.