Volodymyr Zelensky welcomes attack on Ukraine, which “pushes war” towards Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday acknowledged for the first time the recent offensive in Russia’s western border region of Kursk, calling it actions “pushing the war into the territory of the aggressor.”

Zelensky had previously remained silent about the operation.

In his daily video address, the president said he discussed the operation with top Ukrainian commander Oleksandr Syrskyi, not forgetting the battles troops are facing on the difficult Eastern Front.

“Today I received several reports from Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi regarding the front lines and our actions to push the war into the territory of the aggressor,” he said.

“I am grateful to all units of the defense forces for ensuring this. Ukraine proves that it is able to restore justice and exert the necessary pressure on the aggressor.”

Russia said Ukrainian forces advanced into the Kursk region on Tuesday, and Russian military bloggers acknowledged they had made some progress, but said the situation had since stabilized.

Zelensky had already alluded to the operation, praising the military’s ability to “surprise” and thanking it for taking Russian soldiers prisoner to use in future negotiations, specifically referring to the past week.

Russia said Saturday it had evacuated tens of thousands of people from its border region, launching an “anti-terrorist operation.” Moscow also warned that fighting in the Kursk region was endangering a nuclear power plant.

Local officials detailed the extent of civilian evacuations from towns and villages near the combat zone.

“More than 76,000 people have been temporarily relocated to safe places,” an official from the regional emergency situations ministry was quoted as saying by the official TASS news agency at a press conference on Saturday.

Emergency aid has been rushed to the border area and additional trains to the capital Moscow have been arranged for people fleeing the fighting.

“The war has come to us,” said one woman – who declined to give her name – after arriving at Moscow’s train station on Friday.

Agence France-Presse and Reuters