Ukraine's Bold Advance: 2 km Gained in Russia's Kursk Region

Ukraine's armed forces, under Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi, advanced 2 km into Russia's Kursk region, continuing its three-week cross-border incursion. Despite recent gains, Russian forces are pressing towards Pokrovsk. Ukraine aims to weaken Russia's eastern offensive. Kyiv calls for international help to protect its airspace and civilians.

Ukraine's armed forces commander, Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi, announced on Friday that Ukrainian troops advanced up to 2 km into Russia's Kursk region within the past day, continuing their cross-border incursion that began over three weeks ago.

Syrskyi reported that Russian troops failed in their latest attempts to breach Ukrainian defenses in the Pokrovsk area of eastern Ukraine. Kyiv launched its surprise operation into Kursk in western Russia on August 6, claiming control of approximately 100 settlements and penetrating as deep as 35 km into the region. However, these advances seemed to have halted until recently.

Despite these setbacks, Syrskyi revealed a renewed effort on Friday, capturing an additional 5 square km of Russian territory within the past 24 hours. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, updated by Syrskyi via video link, stated on Telegram that the Ukrainian military had taken more prisoners.

Kyiv has asserted that this bold incursion aims to protect its border settlements from constant Russian attacks. Observers believe Ukraine anticipated Russian troop redeployments, thereby weakening Moscow's eastern offensive. Nevertheless, Russian forces continue closing in on the strategic city of Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine.

Russia's defense ministry claimed on Friday that its troops had seized three settlements in eastern Ukraine and condemned Ukraine's Kursk operation as a "major provocation" threatening retaliation. This week, Russia launched over 200 missiles and drones targeting Ukraine's energy sector.

In response, Kyiv officials renewed their appeals to allies for intercepting Russian missiles and drones over Ukraine's western regions to alleviate the country's overstretched air defences and protect civilians. Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov discussed the matter with EU defense ministers, urging allies to establish a "defense belt" over Western Ukraine.

(With inputs from agencies.)