In a significant development in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, Ukrainian forces have launched a major cross-border operation into Russia's Kursk region. This incursion, which began on August 6, 2024, marks the largest attack on Russian soil since World War II, potentially involving up to 10,000 Ukrainian troops supported by armor and artillery.
The operation has prompted Russia's Belgorod border region to declare a state of emergency on August 13, 2024, due to heavy shelling by Ukrainian forces. Vyacheslav Gladkov, the governor of Belgorod, described the situation as "extremely difficult and tense," with homes destroyed and civilian casualties reported.
Evacuation efforts are underway in affected areas, with approximately 5,000 children moved to camps in safe locations. The previous day, around 11,000 people had fled their homes, with about 1,000 staying in temporary accommodation centers. In the Kursk region, Russian officials claim that over 100,000 people have been evacuated.
The Ukrainian military claims control over 74 settlements in the Kursk region. A spokesperson for the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry stated that Kyiv has no intention of occupying Russian territory, but aims to prevent Russia from launching missile attacks into Ukraine from Kursk.
This incursion presents a strategic dilemma for Russia, as it must decide whether to redeploy troops from the front line in Ukraine's Donetsk region to defend Kursk and prevent the incursion from expanding. The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank founded in 2007, suggests that Russian authorities may be reluctant to pull military units from Donetsk due to concerns about slowing the tempo of operations in higher priority areas.
The operation has also had a significant impact on Russian civilian morale. A woman in Belgorod, speaking anonymously, reported that the number of people openly supporting the war has decreased following the intensified Ukrainian attacks.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine since 2019, emphasized the importance of this operation in lifting the country's spirits after 900 days of war. He stated, "We have proven once again that we, Ukrainians, are capable of achieving our goals in any situation - capable of defending our interests and our independence."
"Now all of us in Ukraine should act as unitedly and efficiently as we did in the first weeks and months of this war, when Ukraine took the initiative and began to turn the situation to the benefit of our state."
The conflict, which began on February 24, 2022, has had far-reaching consequences, including the displacement of over 6 million Ukrainians according to UN estimates. It has also led to global economic impacts, such as increased energy prices, and prompted significant military aid from NATO to Ukraine.
As the situation continues to evolve, Russia's Ministry of Defense reported destroying 117 Ukrainian drones and four missiles over eight of its regions overnight. The international community, including Joe Biden, the 46th President of the United States, is closely monitoring these developments, which are creating a "real dilemma" for Russian President Vladimir Putin.