“Following the orders of their military leadership, they are trying to displace our troops and advance deep into the territory we control. Were it not for the resilience of our soldiers, these tens of thousands of enemies from the best Russian units would have stormed our positions.”

Background

In a recent statement, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy highlighted the intense fighting as Ukrainian forces strive to hold their ground against a Russian military push in the Kursk region, where Moscow is amassing a significant number of troops. This push is part of a broader Russian effort to regain control of territories lost to Ukraine following a surprise incursion by Ukrainian forces in August. This incursion, marking Ukraine's first entry into Russian territory since Moscow’s full-scale invasion began in 2022, allowed Ukrainian troops to capture several settlements and secure strategic positions, with reports indicating they now hold around 1,000 square kilometers of previously Russian-controlled land.

Zelenskiy underscored that nearly "50,000 enemy troops" have been deployed by Russia in this area, with the objective of displacing Ukrainian forces and reclaiming lost ground. Despite these challenges, Ukrainian troops continue to hold firm, facing well-trained Russian units determined to retake key locations while Russia's other offensives in eastern Ukraine continue.