Ukraine Seizing Russian Territory to Halt Cross-Border Shelling, says Zelenskyy

Ukraine's recent push into Russian territory is part of a strategic effort to stop Moscow's forces from launching cross-border attacks and to capture prisoners of war, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Monday night. As the Ukrainian advance forces more Russians to flee, Zelenskyy emphasized that the operation is a necessary defensive measure.

In his nightly address, Zelenskyy explained that Ukrainian forces are targeting regions in Russia from which attacks on Ukrainian soil, particularly on the Sumy region, have been launched. "Almost 2,100 shells had been fired from Russia's Kursk region since June 1," Zelenskyy stated. He clarified that the operation’s goal is "the liberation of the border area from the Russian military."

"It is only fair to destroy Russian terrorists where they are, where they launch their strikes from," Zelenskyy said. He added that this strategy would also help Ukraine "replenish" its prisoner-of-war "exchange fund," allowing Kyiv to "return all our people from Russian captivity."

Zelenskyy's message aims to reassure Western allies 

Zelenskyy’s message appeared aimed at reassuring Ukraine's Western allies, some of whom are concerned about the use of their supplied weapons in the offensive. Ukraine has been urging the U.K. to permit the use of British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles in the Kursk operation. However, the British government remains hesitant. A Downing Street spokesperson told Politico, “we are clear that equipment provided by the U.K. is intended for the defense of Ukraine.”

Meanwhile, U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (Republican) and Richard Blumenthal (Democrat) expressed strong support for Kyiv's actions. After meeting with Zelenskyy in Ukraine on Monday, the senators praised the offensive in the Kursk region as "bold and brilliant." They added, “We are more hopeful than ever that the tide of war has turned against Putin and his cronies."